Untitled
by Desaix
Summary: San and Ashitaka are struggling to make their relationship work as the spiritual essense of the Shishigami sends them on a new mission.
1. Chapter 1

Untitled  
by David A. Tatum  
  
Disclaimer:  
Princess Mononoke is owned by Studio Ghibli and Disney\Miramax. I make no  
pretense to owning it, or the characters...   
  
Author's Notes (LONG, but IMPORTANT):  
Saw this movie the other day... wanted to continue it for a little bit, and  
thus this fanfic was born (NO! Not another one! I've got too many fanfics  
going on as it is! Well, maybe this one will be shorter than most that  
I've been writing...). Um, by the way, does anyone have any ideas for a  
title?  
  
Anyway, on with the Fanfic:  
-------------------------  
Chapter 1  
  
San looked into Ashitaka's eyes with regret, sitting on the back of one of  
her wolven brothers. "Ashitaka," she breathed. "I love you... but I  
cannot forgive humans."  
  
Ashitaka didn't even blink. He knew she felt that way, but didn't care.   
"That's fine," he replied. "You live in the forest... I will live in  
Tataraba. I'll come to see you from time to time, riding Yukkaru."  
  
San smiled weakly, nodding. Perhaps he would keep his promise, and she  
would see him again one day. He was a good man, even if he was a human,  
and she would not object to trying out some form of relationship with him.   
Even if it wasn't a normal one to either the Mountain Dogs or to the  
humans...  
  
Turning to keep herself from staying and losing herself in his eyes, she  
rode off, her head facing forward with the pride of the Mononoke in her  
eyes.  
  
Ashitaka watched as she rode off, hiding his sadness. He wished they could  
remain together, but he knew she had to be who she was. Perhaps one day,  
he could convince her to accept her human heritage. Perhaps one day he  
could make everyone realize that humans and the forest could and should  
co-exist. Until then, however, he would have little choice other than to  
woo her with the occasional visit... well, maybe not so occasional. If she  
wanted to see him... which, considering how weak that smile was, she might  
not. Perhaps she had just tried to be polite by telling him that she loved  
him. Well, that was something to worry about later.  
  
The first thing to do was to help Gonza, Eboshi, Toki, and the people of  
Tataraba rebuild, and hopefully make a home with them for a while. Leading  
the wounded Yukkaru by his reins, Ashitaka headed towards the small cluster  
of people who had lived in the village of Tataraba. When his job was done,  
he could go and see her, and maybe find out if she really wanted to see him  
or not. But until then, he had to suffer, not knowing....  
  
*****  
  
San lay on her back, curled up in the furs that her late wolven mother,  
Moro, had given to her. With her gone, only her two Mountain Dog brothers  
were around to keep her company, and while they were good friends and  
companions, that was all they were. Moro was who she had truly loved, who  
she had confided in, who she looked up to, and who she could rely on. Now,  
there was no-one.  
  
Well, almost no-one. There was Ashitaka, but he was human... and he was  
living with the humans. It had been nearly two weeks since the incarnation  
of Shishigami had fallen and they had seperated, and he had yet to show  
himself. She knew he was probably busy, but she had been hoping he would  
return to her before then. After all, he had promised to visit from time  
to time.  
  
"What is wrong, San?" the eldest of her brothers growled out.  
  
"Nothing," San replied. "I am fine."  
  
"Nonsense," he snarled. "I've never seen you this lazy before... and I can  
smell the sadness in you. Now tell me, what is wrong?"  
  
"Well... I was thinking. About Moro."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I miss her.... Not only do I feel that I have lost my mother, but I also  
feel as though I lost the only person I can turn to for advice on certain  
matters. She knew... well, everything to say, and everything I needed.   
And I need her now."  
  
"Oh? Are you sure that I cannot help you? After all, we are family-  
surely you can trust me with some of your problems...."  
  
San sighed. "I would like to, but I need someone who will understand my  
innermost self."  
  
Her brother laughed. "As if I cannot know your innermost self. We have  
been part of the same pack for how many years now? We were raised  
together, have fought together, have bled together, and have come out  
alive. We know each other as well as we can."  
  
"Well," San blushed. "Another reason I don't want to bring this up with  
you is that it's... somewhat private."  
  
A wolven face stared back at her silently. San's blush grew, and  
eventually she had to turn away.  
  
"Ah," he said. "I see. You want to know what to do about that human."  
  
"Human? What human!? I can never forgive the humans!" San cried, her  
blush amazingly growing deeper. Thankfully, most of it was covered up by  
the furs.  
  
"We both know that is not true of all humans. There is that one who you  
seem to love. Ashitaka, I believe his name was."  
  
San nearly choked, hiding deeper into her covers. "Oh, right... that  
human."  
  
"You want to see him, right?"  
  
San sighed deeply. There was no hiding that- even if she were to lie, her  
brothers would easily see through it. "Yes. Yes, I do... but it can never  
work out. He is a human, and lives among humans. I can never forgive  
humans, so it would never work out."  
  
"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself of that."  
  
"Perhaps I am... but just because I am doesn't make it untrue. I love him,  
but he is human. Humans are my enemy. HE is my enemy... I just wish it  
didn't have to be that way."  
  
"It doesn't," her brother growled, "Unless you want it to be."  
  
San actually sat up on that one, letting the furs fall to the ground. "Are  
YOU, one of the Mountain Dogs, suggesting that I forgive the humans?"  
  
"No," he said. "I am suggesting that you not automatically make all humans  
your enemy. As much of a Mountain Dog you are in spirit, you still wear  
the body of a human. This human you love, Ashitaka, is human, but he is a  
friend to the forests. He wishes for us and humans to coexist- a foolish  
notion, but that just makes him naive, not evil. Not only that, you love  
him." He paused, raising his head so that she couldn't help but look into  
his eyes. "You cannot be expected to never find a mate, and other Mountain  
Dogs are unsuitable for you. Perhaps..."  
  
San's blush returned in force. "But he lives in the village, and I live in  
the forest. I know he would be unhappy here, and I couldn't survive if I  
had to live with other humans..."  
  
"You love him, and he loves you. I'm certain you could work something out-  
perhaps a small home an hour or so outside the village? Or perhaps he  
would be willing to live out here in the forest sometimes- there have been  
many human matings where the man and his mate have had to be seperated for  
long periods of time that have remained happy." Again, he paused. "And  
perhaps you could grow to accept living some part of your life with humans,  
so that you can stay with him."  
  
"But I don't WANT to forgive the humans!" San cried.  
  
Her brother shook her head. "Now I am certain of it. You are scared of  
him- you love him, and cannot deal with it, so you grasp whatever straws  
you can to keep yourself from him." He walked in a circle around her.   
"Grab your headdress. We are leaving for the human village of Tataraba.   
You must face up to Ashitaka... and your feelings."  
  
"But-"  
  
"You are my sister, and so I will do everything I can to make sure you are  
happy. And I will not take no for an answer."  
  
San looked annoyed. "Oh, you won't?"  
  
"No," he said simply.  
  
San stood, fists clenched in fury. Finally, though, she relented. "Very  
well... give me a minute to get ready."  
  
She could swear that the wolf was laughing at her as she headed off to grab  
her headdress... though she had a real hard time telling with her brothers.  
  
*****  
  
Ashitaka collapsed into bed at the end of a very hard day's work. He  
wanted to see San, but he had been too busy helping rebuild Tataraba's  
walls to even start on his own things yet. He didn't even have a home yet-  
he was sleeping in the cafeteria turned temporary shelter until they could  
start on the individual houses. Until his home was built, he couldn't  
leave Tataraba. And San would NEVER come to Tataraba of her own free  
will... unless it was to fight humans, which he hoped she wasn't going to  
do any time soon. Though she didn't really seem that enthusiastic about  
him visiting in the first place- maybe she didn't want him around, after  
all?  
  
Sighing, he pulled the covers up over his shoulders and closed his eyes.   
The sooner he got to sleep, the sooner he'd be up in the morning. The  
sooner he was up in the morning, the sooner he could get back to work. The  
sooner he could get back to work, the sooner he would be finished  
rebuilding. The sooner he was finished, the sooner he could see San.   
Assuming, of course, she wanted to be seen.  
  
He promptly fell asleep- into a VERY deep sleep. The deepest sleep he had  
ever been in.  
  
And there, he saw it. Shishigami, the spirit of the forest, was in his  
dreams. And, for the first time, Shishigami spoke to him.  
  
"Hello, Ashitaka."  
  
"Sh- shishigami?" Ashitaka stuttered. He THOUGHT he had never heard  
Shishigami speak before... but it seemed so familiar.  
  
"It is I," the spirit said.  
  
"But... I thought your incarnation dead."  
  
"I was. I still am. I can only exist in mortal's dreams, now."  
  
"So... this is a dream, then?"  
  
Shishigami laughed. "Yes, it is a dream. But it is real, as well.   
Ashitaka, there are things which we must discuss. When I died, I did more  
than restore the forest, as you well know."  
  
Ashitaka thought for a moment. "Yes, you healed me of my Tatarigami  
curse."  
  
Shishigami nodded. "You and your mate, as well. But I did more than just  
heal you- I gave you a gift. The gift of-"  
  
Ashitaka knew he was talking to a very powerful being, but he couldn't let  
that one pass. "San and I are not mates. She has rejected me, as she has  
all humans."  
  
Shishigami just looked at Ashitaka with his ever-smiling face. "Do you  
doubt me? She is your mate."  
  
Ashitaka felt greatly relieved... but how could Shishigami know? Besides,  
he knew the truth. Even if they were to become married... well, or  
whatever Mountain Dogs became, they weren't mates yet.  
  
"It can't be, my lord. She has rejected me... I have had hopes to make her  
change her mind, and find a way to make our relationship work, but we are  
not mates... not yet, at least."  
  
Shishigami shook his golden head, making his fur ripple along his body.   
"Not yet mates in body, perhaps, but there is more to that sort of  
relationship than the physical part." The spirit-being paused, letting  
Ashitaka absorb that piece of information before continuing. "As I was  
saying, I healed you and your mate of the Tatarigami curse, but not  
completely. Not yet. The stain on your body, as you noticed, is not  
completely gone. That is not a scar, but instead the remains of the curse.  
It will not grow like it would before, and it will not give you pain, but  
it will give you the added strength that the curse did before... though do  
not misuse the manifestations of this power, for you will find that you can  
give yourself great pain with this power."  
  
Ashitaka stared at his arm- on it, he could see the phantom tentacles that  
flared up when the curse was trying to control him, though now they were  
dormant. "What... why? Why did you only partially cure me?"  
  
Shishigami's expression remained the same, though his eyes twinkled in a  
way that Ashitaka believed that the forest god was smiling. "I am not done  
with you yet. Not with any of the four of you I spared- you, your mate,  
the false priest, and the lady warrior... you are just the first person I  
have contacted about this."  
  
Ashitaka blinked. "Why is that? Why single me out?"  
  
Shishigami continued 'smiling.' "Do not tell your mate any of what I am  
about to say, for she will be greatly troubled by it, and does not need to  
know of it do to what must be done."  
  
"That shouldn't be a problem," Ashitaka said. "I'm unlikely to see her for  
a while."  
  
"Not true- she will join you shortly after you wake." Ashitaka was  
speechless, so Shishigami continued. "I thought that would please you.   
But we must hurry, for there is little time before you will be awakened."   
The 'smile' disappeared, and a hint of sorrow could be heard in  
Shishigami's voice. "The forest has been restored, but that is not enough.  
The gods of old are dying- the last of the elder animal gods fell together  
trying to save me, and now only their children and the lower forms of  
animals survive. The Boar Gods have been utterly destroyed, and the  
Mountain Dogs are very few. The forest cannot rely on their protection  
anymore."  
  
Ashitaka frowned. "And so what must I do?"  
  
"Merely what you wish to do so fervently. Together with your mate and the  
other two I spared, make it so that humans and the forest can co-exist.   
Humans will always make mistakes, and may at times do more harm than good,  
but if they were to become the new protectors if the forests they may  
survive. And that is why you have been given your gift. Now, Ashitaka, it  
is time for you to awaken. I will talk to you again, soon."  
  
Suddenly, Ashitaka felt hands on his arms shaking him. He opened his eyes  
and recognized the face as belonging to Koroku, one of the two men he had  
saved when he first came to Tataraba.  
  
"Ashitaka," Koroku said, finally seeing him awake. "The Mononoke Princess  
is out front. Um, and Eboshi wants to have a word with you."  
  
*****  
  
"They haven't even fired a warning shot yet," San commented. "Perhaps they  
haven't seen us yet?"  
  
"Or perhaps they don't want to break the uneasy peace we've had recently,"  
her brother suggested. "Their weapons aren't even out yet- should we get  
closer? Perhaps they won't object to us asking to talk to Ashitaka,  
provided we don't charge in."  
  
"Perhaps... move in, but cautiously. If they flinch, we run and don't come  
back, got it? I have no objection to dying if the situation calls for it,  
but I don't think that it's worth risking our lives for a simple  
conversation with a mere human."  
  
Her brother snorted, and started slowly stepping his way towards the  
village. "Of course- I'm no fool." He craned his head so he could see her  
face in the corner of his eye. "You sound nervous."  
  
San swallowed. "Well... I am. I've never WANTED to see a human before  
without wanting to also kill them." She paused. "Besides... I don't know  
what he'll say about me coming here. He said he would be coming to see me,  
not the other way around."  
  
"Well, I don't see what sort of problem he'll have with that-"  
  
"What if he thought I was telling him that I didn't want him when I said I  
couldn't forgive humans? What if he thought I wanted him to find someone  
else, and that's why he hasn't shown up yet?"  
  
"Now, I don't think-"  
  
"I'm SCARED, dammit!" she cried. "This whole situation isn't right for  
me... I want to go home, and forget this. It won't work out- Ashitaka's a  
human, and I hate humans..."  
  
"San," her brother said softly. "I am not mother, but... well, I am pretty  
sure she liked that human. Not all of them are alike- some are pretty  
special. And I'm fairly sure that Ashitaka's one of those special humans."  
He paused. "You are too, you know."  
  
"I'm not human."  
  
"You are a human... as much as he is, anyway. You're also a Mountain Dog,  
but you're human as well. Just as he's a human. But he isn't the same as  
those other humans that we've fought- and neither are you."  
  
"I STILL say I'm not a human. I hate humans. I can't help it if I both  
love and hate him."  
  
"If he's a human, than you are also a human, because he seems to me to be  
much closer to a beast like you than he is to those who call themselves  
humans." The wolf shrugged. "Though I suppose you could just call him a  
person who isn't human, as well."  
  
"He supports the humans."  
  
"He supports the forests, too," her brother growled, exasperated. "Listen,  
we both already know you love him- you told him so. Why are you trying to  
toss him away? Are you TRYING to hurt yourself?"  
  
"I..."  
  
Her brother stopped advancing on the village, and stood up on his hind  
legs, making her slide off his back. Coming back down onto all fours, he  
turned around to face her.  
  
"That's it, isn't it? You're trying to hurt yourself. You don't WANT to  
be happy. Why?"  
  
"Of course I want to be happy!" San snapped back. "But... I don't think I  
can be. I can't live with the humans and be happy- I hate them too much.   
I also... I also can't live without him and be happy, either. I love  
him... I don't want to lose him. But maybe, if I can convince myself that  
it won't work out, then I won't feel so... lost... without him."  
  
Her brother stared back at her fiercely. "I was worried that you needed to  
talk with him in order to prove to yourself that you did love him, but now  
I can see that is not enough. You already know you love him, after all."   
He lay down. "Get on- I can see we BOTH need to talk to Ashitaka for a  
bit. And then, maybe you'll realize that if you do care for each other as  
much as I suspect, you will be able to overlook this insane belief that you  
cannot be happy and find a way to satisfy both of you."  
  
*****  
  
Eboshi looked over at Ashitaka as he approached her on the walls looking  
out into the fields. Her one remaining arm was propping her against the  
parapet, and she seemed to be waiting for him.  
  
"Your girlfriend's here," she mentioned.  
  
"So I was told. I'm surprised you haven't started shooting at her yet."  
  
Eboshi looked hurt. "Ashitaka, that's not like you! And I'm not going to  
repeat my mistakes, by any means. I will not launch a war against the  
forest if I can avoid it."  
  
"Forgive me," he said. "I am a little... out of sorts. I just had a  
rather unsettling dream...."  
  
Eboshi sighed. "There is nothing to forgive- I deserve the reprimand. My  
past mistakes cost me my arm and my chance at an Empire. No-one has yet  
spoken to condemn me... it was about time that someone did." She looked  
back out over the wall at the slowly moving white blob upon which a  
fierce-looking girl rode. "They're obviously not intending to attack us.   
Indeed, it looks as if they're having an argument." She looked over at  
Ashitaka. "Are you sure you intend to take her as your wife? There are  
many unattached women in this village who are quite attractive, and who  
would dearly love to be your bride. They would not require the taming that  
the Mononoke would."  
  
Ashitaka smirked. "I would not tame her- it would ruin part of her beauty.  
Maybe make her a little more human, but the beast in her spirit should  
always run free." He turned to her. "And I never said I was taking her as  
my wife."  
  
"I asked you if you were before."  
  
"I never answered."  
  
"You still haven't."  
  
Ashitaka laughed. That unsettled Eboshi- she had never seen him laugh  
before. He was always so serious- even moreso than the Mononoke herself...  
"Of course I haven't answered you. There was no answer to give. I cannot  
make her become my wife, any more than I could make it rain." His smirk  
reappeared. "I would have her take me as her husband... I think that's the  
only way she'd accept it."  
  
Eboshi looked out, and saw that San had dismounted her steed for the  
moment. "Hmm... there appears to be a problem. Maybe you should leave to  
meet her now, instead of waiting until she reaches the gates?"  
  
Ashitaka shook his head. "No. Let her in when she arrives, and do not let  
anyone harm her. If she is ever to forgive humans enough to live with  
them, she must walk among them without having to fight them for a time."  
  
Some of Eboshi's old arrogance returned. "Oh? You presume to give me  
orders?"  
  
Ashitaka turned to Eboshi with a fierce expression on his face. "If you do  
not give the order, than I will."  
  
Eboshi noted how he carefully avoided answering her. 'Good boy,' she  
thought. 'Don't remind me that I've become little more than a figurehead  
in recent days.' She nodded to him. "Do not worry, Ashitaka. I'll let  
your girlfriend in to see you unharmed... though she must promise not to  
harm me. And the wolf with her-"  
  
"Will be allowed inside as well. No-one is to provoke him. We want peace  
with the remaining forest gods, and forbidding them entrance if they come  
in a banner of truce, as they seem to be doing, will only make that more  
difficult."  
  
Eboshi hesitated. "I will give the orders... but I am not all-powerful.   
Some may resent their presence."  
  
Ashitaka nodded. "Some may..." He started towards the stairs. "But if  
they do, they will have to face my anger. And you've seen how I can be  
when angry."  
  
"Of course... I will let them all know of your pronouncement." She paused.  
"You may want to join those who are rebuilding... if you aren't tied up  
with other things, she may insist that you go out to see her, but if I can  
legitimately say that you are too busy to come out right away I might be  
able to convince her to enter the village."  
  
Ashitaka frowned. Was she really trying to help him, or did she have her  
own motives? He couldn't tell- Eboshi was too much of a mix of people.   
She was a humanitarian- she would rescue women from being sold to Geisha  
and give them a good, if hard, life here in the village, but she would hunt  
down and destroy the gods of the forest. She would start arming the women  
of her village, but then abandon them to go out on her own personal quests.  
She was humble before him, yet also betrayed hints of arrogance all the  
time. Dealing with her was a necessary evil...  
  
'I wonder,' he thought, 'What her role is in Shishigami's plans?'  
  
*****  
  
"Greetings, Mononoke Hime," came the cry from the battlements.  
  
San looked up in surprise. On the wall of the village stood her hated  
enemy- Eboshi, the human who she wanted to see dead most of all. And what  
was that human doing? Calling out to her respectfully?  
  
"I just came to see Ashitaka... could you please send him out so I can talk  
to him?"  
  
Eboshi's barely visible head shook negatively. "The moment you were  
sighted, we sent word to him that you were here. He is at a crucial stage  
in his work right now, and leaving might be dangerous, but he suggested  
that I invite you inside to wait for him, if you are willing. I agreed...  
provided I get your word not to try and kill anyone- especially not me!"  
  
San blinked. "I'd rather wait out here," she called.  
  
"I think you'd find the wait much nicer in here," Eboshi replied kindly.   
"Come- I have ordered our defenses lowered as a gesture of respect and  
peace. Surely you can repay in kind... all I ask is that you accept my  
hospitality and come inside. Both you and your wolf- I will have no  
objections. You need not even disarm yourself, if you just promise not to  
attack us, and we promise not to harm you in any way while you are here."  
  
San frowned. "This sounds too much like a trap- let's get out of here,"  
she whispered to her brother.  
  
"No," he growled back. "Before, when you said that it wasn't worth risking  
your life just to see Ashitaka, I agreed with you- largely because I didn't  
know how depressed this was making you. You're right, it does sound like a  
trap... but do you really think Ashitaka would let them trap you like  
that?"  
  
"He's a human- of course he would," San said bitterly. Her brother just  
growled in response. San flushed. "Er, well... no, I guess he wouldn't.   
But who's to say that Ashitaka has a choice in this?"  
  
"Hmm.... They'd probably have to be holding him prisoner in that case. I  
would think you'd want to rescue him in that case...."  
  
"Well... yes, I would. And since they're letting me keep my weapons...."  
  
"They're either being honest about letting us enter in peace, or they're  
severely underestimating us," her brother finished. "So shall we go in?"  
  
San hesitated. "Well... I still am not sure I want to do this, but... I'd  
better. If he IS being held prisoner, I have to rescue him..." Finally  
directing her attention back to Eboshi, she called, "Open the gates... I'm  
coming in."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
desaix@sysnet.net  
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee   
fanfics available at   
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7872/fanfics.htm  
David A. Tatum's Used Anime Trading Post  
http://www2.sysnet.net/~desaix/shop.htm 


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2  
Well, I decided to resume this after FINALLY getting the DVD (I only had a  
BORROWED fansub when I wrote chapter 1 way back in October of '99, and  
after I returned that I didn't have any source material to reference), and  
I discovered that the romanizations for some of the names are different (I  
may do a search and replace when I finish the thing, just to get it more  
uniform). I don't want to go back and change every reference, and I  
completed some portions of the future chapters with the fansub  
romanizations that I started with, but I haven't published them yet. I  
ALSO wrote a tiny bit on another computer SINCE getting the DVD using the  
'literal' subtitle translation (as opposed to the closed captioning  
translation, which I think spells Jiko's name as Jigo, though I could be  
mistaken...) and intend to cut and paste those parts here. For this  
reason, I figured I'd say 'Ah, screw it!' and use BOTH romanization schemes  
as the mood hits me (or, in some cases, as the situation calls for it-  
Tatarigami might be more appropriate than 'demons' in some cases, for  
instance). Consider this an experiment. For those of you who are easily  
confused, here's what the equivalencies between the two schemes are.  
Jigo = Jiko  
Mountain Dogs = Moro Clan  
Tatarigami = demons  
Tataraba = Iron Town  
Yukkaru = Yakul  
  
Well, now that that's over with, here's the story.  
---------------------------  
  
A terrified Koroku met San at the gates as they opened. He bowed as she  
and the wolf stepped through, not wanting to be here but having been  
ordered to greet her. "Greetings, Princess Mononoke," his voice cracked  
obsequiously. He continued on, forgetting, in his fear, the instructions  
Eboshi gave him to introduce himself. "Ashitaka will only be a few  
minutes, but if you wish I can give you a proper tour while you wait. You  
might find it interesting to see the town when you have time to take in the  
sights."  
  
San sniffed haughtily. "I'll wait here."  
  
Koroku shifted nervously. Much to his relief, his wife, Toki, joined them  
a few moments later, carrying a couple of bundles. "Excuse me, Princess  
Mononoke," she curtseyed with a flourish. "My name is Toki, and I'm a  
friend of Ashitaka's- he saved my husbands life, and did everything he  
could to protect me and the other women of this village. We all are  
grateful to him, and are very sorry for the harm we have caused you and the  
forest. The Lady Eboshi sent me to entertain you until Ashitaka is  
available. If you want something to eat, I've got some tea and rice that  
you can have, and if there is anything else you need, just let me know, and  
my husband, here, will get it for you."  
  
"I want Ashitaka," San growled. "Not food, not tea, not a tour.   
Ashitaka."  
  
Toki sighed, glanced in frustration at her seemingly useless husband, and  
set the food down. "Dear, why don't you go see how much longer Ashitaka  
will be, okay?"  
  
"Oh- of course!" he said gratefully. "I'll just go and do that!" He burst  
into a run in the direction of the restoration work, traveling faster than  
his wife had ever seen him move before.  
  
Toki shook her head, smiling, and returned her attention to her visitors.   
"My husband is absolutely terrified of you, my dear. Well, if you won't  
accept anything else we can do to entertain you, maybe you and your  
companion would be willing to sit down and have a bit of a chat, eh?"   
Without waiting for a response, she spread a blanket on the ground and sat  
on it.  
  
At first, San was going to refuse the offer, but then sighed. She was  
supposed to be getting used to dealing with humans on a peaceful basis, and  
while she might not trust the food or drink they sent her, there was  
certainly no reason that she couldn't talk to them. Besides, Toki gave off  
an aura of friendliness that was hard to ignore.  
  
The natural-born wolf, who remained silent during the whole exchange to  
that point, seemed to feel like relaxing with this woman was acceptable, as  
he had already taken position lying down beside the blanket. San grimaced-  
her brother seemed to feel as though HE was in charge now that Moro was  
gone. She'd have to have a nice talking-to with him, when all of this was  
over. Let him know there was a reason she was given the title of Princess  
of the Wolves.  
  
At any rate, she knelt down across from Toki- seating herself in such a way  
that she could leap up to defend herself quickly if the situation warranted  
it- and delved into the conversation.  
  
"What do you wish to say?" she said proudly, unconsciously trying to show  
herself superior to the other woman.  
  
Toki ignored the tone of San's voice, however. "Well, the politics I know  
of would either anger you or confuse you, so that's probably not a good  
topic. And, bless me, you probably understand the trends of the weather so  
well that anything I might say on that subject would just bore you. When  
you can't talk about the weather, and you can't talk about politics, then  
there's only one thing worth talking about, and that's boys," she said with  
a twinkle in her eyes. "And I must say, you found yourself quite a  
handsome one."  
  
San bristled. "I am a wolf- why would I care about boys?"  
  
Toki laughed. "Deny it all you want, but you certainly seem rather  
insistent about seeing that Ashitaka boy. I don't blame you, either- why,  
if I were a few years younger and not already married, I might have thought  
about trying to take him from you."  
  
San's anger flared at that. "I wouldn't allow it!" she snarled.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't, dear," Toki agreed. "And neither would Ashitaka-  
any attempt to seduce him from you would be quite futile, I fear." She  
frowned. "It would be a shame if the two of you were broken up because you  
couldn't settle on some form of living arrangement. I know you don't want  
to live here, with us, dear, and I doubt Ashitaka would enjoy living in the  
woods forever, even if he had you as company." She smiled slightly. "Men-  
human men, at least- love to show off their wives, and while your boy may  
be extraordinary in some regards, I doubt that he has been able to remove  
all of the vices which make him a man."  
  
San straightened slightly. "Wife? I won't ever be a wife- that's a human  
thing. He will have to accept me as a mate, nothing more. I refuse to go  
through the human traditions."  
  
Toki just nodded, seeming to expect that. "Of course, dear. But the  
concept is the same- he'll be just as proud to have you as his mate as he  
would to have you as his wife, and it's BECAUSE he's proud of you that  
he'll want to show you off." The twinkle in her eye reappeared. "Some  
women don't like that, because it makes them think their husbands treat  
them like property. Those of us women fortunate enough to know that our  
husbands can't- and won't- ever see us as something owned know better; we  
know that they're proud because WE chose THEM, not the other way around.   
It's a compliment, if you think about it."  
  
San shook her head defiantly. "I haven't chosen him. But he won't give up  
on me, and I admire that. He has the heart of a wolf, at times."  
  
Her brother growled slightly, showing his displeasure at her response. He  
did not say anything however.  
  
Toki glanced over at the wolf, then back to San. "Your companion over  
there doesn't seem to agree with you, though I can't tell if that's because  
he thinks Ashitaka isn't worthy of being called a wolf, or if because he  
doesn't believe you that you haven't chosen him." She paused. "I would  
suspect the later, though, because I don't believe you, either."  
  
"You think I'm lying?!"  
  
"To me? Maybe not. But if you aren't lying to me, then you're just lying  
to yourself," she declared.  
  
San and Toki glared into each other's eyes for a moment. Neither blinked,  
neither said a thing, and neither backed down. San escalated the conflict  
by baring her teeth in a growl, and Toki answered with a defiant smile.  
  
San's brother finally broke the silence, barking out a laugh that startled  
both girls. "I think I like this human," he said, looking at Toki.   
"Sister, I think you have met your match in determination. And she is  
right- do not lie, sister. It reflects poorly on the Mountain Dogs."  
  
"Now, don't be too hard on the girl," Toki admonished the wolf. "She's  
probably terrified of committing herself. Happens all the time- it's known  
as 'getting cold feet.' Common human reaction."  
  
"I'm no human, I'm a wolf!" San snapped.  
  
"Sure you are, dear," Toki said, humoring her. "Most wolves I've heard of  
wouldn't be this hesitant about choosing their mates, though. I guess  
you're a wolf who just looks and acts like a human."  
  
"I'm not a human, and I don't ACT like a human, either!" San bellowed.  
  
"Then prove it!" Toki shot back. "We all know you want to make Ashitaka  
your husband- excuse me, I mean mate- so act on it! He wants you to take  
him, after all. Anyone can see that."  
  
That was the moment Koroku decided to return, leading Ashitaka with him.   
"Um, here he is..." the one-time ox driver said.  
  
San was enraged enough at Toki's comments to nearly leap from her seated  
position at the poor boy. "Come with me, Ashitaka- we need to talk," she  
growled dangerously as she grabbed his arm and started dragging him away.   
"Where is your den?"  
  
It took Ashitaka a second to realize she meant his hut. He didn't have a  
hut of his own, yet, but there were a couple of places where people could  
have privacy, and he started leading her to one such building. San's  
brother stood up and started to follow, but paused a brief moment to  
whisper in Toki's ear.  
  
"A dangerous ploy, woman, but I like it. Perhaps, like San and Ashitaka,  
you have the spirit of a wolf in you."  
  
*****  
  
Kaya sighed, glancing back at the village of her Emishi brethren. The  
twilight of the setting sun illuminated it beautifully, and she couldn't  
help feeling some regret. She'd told no-one she was leaving, and suspected  
the town would be sent into a minor uproar searching for her when her  
disappearance was discovered. Then again, maybe the village would forget  
about her... again.  
  
It seemed, ever since her half-brother Ashitaka had left, that the entire  
village had decided to ignore her. Ashitaka may have been a prince of the  
village through his late father, but she was merely a child of his mother's  
near-destitute second husband. He had always treated her kindly, but most  
of the other villagers thought even less of her than they did of the other  
girls of the Emishi clan- or at least, it seemed to her that way. Perhaps  
she was being unfair, as the village had a number of problems to deal with  
outside of those that a young girl might be facing, but she doubted it.  
  
She double-checked her supplies, just to make certain she had all that she  
needed before she reached the point of no return. She had her Emishi-style  
bowl, a bag of rice that would probably last her for a couple of weeks, if  
she was careful, a skin full of water, two more empty skins to fill along  
the way, some cooking equipment, and her short sword. The sword was a  
necessity for a woman traveling alone- she might not be skilled enough to  
take down a trained soldier, but any untrained criminals who wanted to  
assault her would be made short work of.  
  
Reassured that she was well prepared, she set off. She knew her brother  
had survived his ordeal- she would have known if he had failed, she was  
sure- and now she planned to find him again. Take him back home if he  
would come, stay with him if he would not. And if she was wrong, and he  
was dead, well... then she'd have to think of something else to do with her  
life- or perhaps, she'd have to end it.  
  
*****  
  
The ferocity that Toki had inspired in San had waned greatly by the time  
Ashitaka had closed the door of the hut behind her and her brother. She'd  
almost lost the conviction to have this discussion when Ashitaka stopped  
them at the stables to feed Yakul, but she was determined to prove to that  
Toki woman and anyone else who challenged her that she was a wolf, both in  
spirit and in action.  
  
Steeling herself for what she was about to say, she turned to Ashitaka and  
took a deep breath.  
  
"Ashitaka, I want to take you as my mate," she said, forcing her voice to  
remain steady.  
  
The boy looked at her without visible surprise. After a few seconds pause,  
he answered, "You mean you want to marry me?"  
  
"NO!" San growled, the implication strengthening her resolve slightly. "I  
am not going to follow a silly human custom. I will follow the tradition  
of the Moro Clan as best as I can, and we of the Moro Clan do not marry.   
We do, however, take mates, and I intend to take you as mine."  
  
"I may let you, one day," Ashitaka replied, still unfazed by her  
proclamations. He wondered somewhat at this, himself, but figured that his  
dream of the Shishigami had warned him of this enough to prepare for this.   
"But last I heard, while you loved me, you hated the humans. I will visit  
you as often as I can, but even if we do not follow my home clan's custom  
of marriage, I intend to mate for life. While I love you, I could not  
spend my whole life apart from humans even for you. I could try, but in  
doing so I may grow to resent it- and in doing so, to resent you- which is  
unfair to both of us. Do you have some sort of solution to this, or not?   
And why is your brother here with us- I would imagine a conversation like  
this would be better done in private, even amongst the Moro clan. It  
certainly would be for most humans."  
  
San bowed her head, unable to reply. She was hating herself for not being  
able to answer him, but all of her fierce determination had been depleted.   
This was a matter that Moro had not prepared her for, and all she had to  
rely upon were her all-too-human instincts. She was a wolf, though, and  
she would stamp down those human instincts with every fibre of her being...  
even if it DID leave her silent and afraid.  
  
"I am here to keep San from lying to herself," the wolf sounded out. "As  
she has already tried to do once, today. She fears what her own heart  
tells her, but that is just part of her concern. Her fears have manifested  
themselves in other ways- she does not want to lose what she is as a wolf  
of the Moro clan, despite her human body, and has no real idea for a  
solution to her problems. All she knew, in coming here, is that she wanted  
to see you."  
  
Ashitaka watched San. He could see the fear in her- the fire that he loved  
so much in her was dim, and she looked more vulnerable than he could ever  
remember. He hated to see her look so frightened, and reached out a hand  
to comfort her.  
  
San flinched slightly as his finger unexpectedly caressed her cheek, but  
said nothing, allowing him to touch her as she would no other human. The  
finger lowered to her chin, and raised it so that she would face him eye to  
eye.  
  
"San... do not worry. I believe that while we are not mates in body, yet,  
we are in spirit. We can reach some compromise where both you and I are  
happy, I am sure of it. Moro once told me that you were neither human nor  
wolf. I believe you can be both... if you allow it."  
  
San leaned back slightly, forcing Ashitaka to retrieve his finger. "What  
do you mean?"  
  
"I said I could not live all of my life apart from humans, but that doesn't  
mean I couldn't spend some of it without them, as long as I had you with  
me. Would you be willing to try and spend some time with them- and me- in  
this village?"  
  
"What?!" San cried, outraged that he would be willing to even think of  
having her live with humans.  
  
"All I want you to do is give this village a chance, now that it has  
learned its lessons from the death of Shishigami. I do not ask you to  
change yourself- you do not have to become a human and concern yourself  
with human needs- I just want you to see if you can live in it, even for a  
brief period."  
  
"I hate humans!" San growled out angrily. "You know that- how do you  
expect me to live with that which I hate?!"  
  
Ashitaka stiffened slightly. "I would hope, after a short time, you'd  
learn that not all humans are alike, and that some may not deserve your  
hate. Not even all of those in this village." He paused. "I would have  
hoped you learned that lesson with me, but maybe I was mistaken."  
  
San's anger dissipated, somewhat. "No... I have learned that lesson  
already. Some humans are worthy of more than my hatred... you are worthy  
of much more. But I couldn't stand being surrounded by so much of that  
which I hate for long, even if I AM trying to learn not to hate it."  
  
Ashitaka watched San as she seemed to retreat into herself. She looked...  
helpless, as if she couldn't think of any way to solve their problems.   
"Could you try and deal with one week?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Of course, you would be allowed to leave any time," Ashitaka continued,  
"But... if you could stand to live in the village, with me, for one week,  
then I could join you in the forest for a month, or even more. Would it  
hurt so much to try, when the reward could be... us?"  
  
San didn't have an answer for a moment, so her brother decided to give one  
for her. "Yes, she will," he growled. "And she will actually TRY to live  
with you. If she fails, we will have to think of something else, and there  
will be no shame for her. But if she gives up without trying, the Moro  
clan will consider itself dishonored."  
  
"Brother!" San exclaimed in outrage.  
  
"Hush, San," the wolf intoned. "I love you, and so does our brother, but  
we can't stand seeing you pine for this one human so much and yet not be  
able to do anything about it. We both decided, well before dawn today,  
that we would find a way to help you. If that means forcing you to learn  
to get along with humans better, so be it." He stood up. "I will leave,  
now. I imagine the two of you have other things you'll need to talk about  
that don't concern me- things such as providing for San's meals, getting  
her presence accepted by the town, and figuring out where she sleeps." He  
paused. "I suggest you hold off on any physical mating until you know if  
this will work. If it does not work, then your separation will be that  
much more painful."  
  
He stood on all fours, turning to the doorway. Before he could leave,  
though, Ashitaka called to him, "Can I talk with you- in private- for a  
minute?"  
  
The wolf paused, then grunted his agreement. Ashitaka lead him out of the  
hut, and directed him to the town's gates.  
  
"What did you wish to speak to me about, human?" the wolf asked.  
  
"Well, first of all," Ashitaka said, "I want to thank you. Not for what  
you did for me, but for what you've done for San. I believe it would have  
come to this anyway, and she is better off getting it over with now rather  
than later." He paused, waiting for some sort of reply. Without getting  
one, he continued, "I know San's hearing is better than a normal humans-  
can she overhear us, where we are right now?"  
  
That drew the wolf's curious attention. "No. Not inside this town, where  
all you noisy humans drown out much of what you say to each other."  
  
Ashitaka nodded. "Good... I want to tell you something which I am  
forbidden from telling San. And it is not the humans which forbid me from  
telling it to her, but a more important being. I think someone of the Moro  
clan should know of it, however, and I don't know when I will be able to  
tell her. But if I tell you, I want you to promise not to tell San  
yourself, until I know the time is right."  
  
"I make no promises now," the wolf growled suspiciously. "If I think this  
secret is made in ill intent, I will not make any such promise. But I will  
consider it."  
  
"Very well," the boy replied. "I think, when you here it, you will know  
that such a promise is warranted."  
  
He took a deep breath, then continued. "Earlier today, in my dreams,  
Shishigami appeared to me. Among other things, he warned me of San's  
arrival, but he only did so after he told me some... important things. He  
said the four he spared were instrumental in his future plans- the four he  
spared being myself, San, Eboshi, and Jiko. These are plans to apparently  
restore the forests by following my dreams. The old gods are dying out, he  
said, so the humans will have to learn to coexist with the forest.   
Something I wished to do anyway, but something which I am unsure of how to  
achieve. That was my dream, and what I fear is how San's involvement in  
this will affect you of the Moro clan, and the few surviving older gods."  
  
The wolf barked in laughter. "We're tough. We'll survive whatever  
happens, if Shishigami wills it. Our mother, Moro, accepted the fate of  
her own death, and so all wolves will accept the fate that destiny provides  
for us. And if we don't survive, it won't matter... provided the forests  
are protected."  
  
"San will protect the forests," Ashitaka intoned. "Eboshi will protect the  
humans. I will protect the both of them- from each other, if it comes to  
that. From themselves, if it seems necessary. I suspect that is part of  
Shishigami's plan. But who will protect you?"  
  
"Perhaps this Jiko character. Perhaps Shishigami himself. Perhaps we will  
not need protection- we are quite good at protecting ourselves, after all."  
They reached the gates of the town, and the wolf sat while Ashitaka went  
to ask the gatekeepers to open the doors. "Your concern for us is  
touching," he continued after the boy had returned. "But the time of the  
old gods may be over. Our spirit will continue, however, in people like  
San and yourself. I met a woman here, earlier, who I felt had the spirit  
of the wolf in her, as well- Toki, I believe her name was."  
  
Ashitaka smiled. "Ah, yes. I made the mistake of rescuing her husband  
from drowning after you wolves and San attacked him. I hope San's still at  
least that spirited when she's forty."  
  
The gate finished opening. The wolf walked through it, then turned its  
head to address Ashitaka one last time. "I should let you know," he said.   
"San and you are now mates. As the mate of one of the Moro clan, you are  
part of the Moro clan. Return to your mate... brother. You have much to  
discuss."  
  
*****  
  
'Yukkaru's tracks!' Kaya thought excitedly. It had been several weeks  
since Ashitaka had left, and she feared that all trace of her brother had  
faded from sight. But here, in a field much further from the village than  
its regular riders were allowed, she saw the distinctive tracks of  
Yukkaru's breed. As far as she new, no-one outside of her village ever  
rode such a beast, so here, thankfully, was some evidence showing where her  
brother went. Something which, for the first time, allowed her to hope  
that she wasn't on a fool's errand.  
  
'It may take a while, big brother, but I'll find you.'  
  
*****  
  
Ashitaka returned to the hut where San waited, and gestured for her to  
follow him. "This hut is not truly my... 'den,'" he noted as he lead her  
out. "My den has not been built yet- that is what has kept me from  
visiting you all this time."  
  
San glanced up at him. "You could have come to me. I would have let you  
share with that of the Moro clan."  
  
"And then I would have had no den of my own, and I would be cut off from  
the humans. I know you don't like them, San, but as I said, if I had to  
live my life apart from the humans forever, even for you, I would grow  
resentful. For me, it would be almost as bad as if you had to live apart  
from your wolves for your whole life."  
  
San nodded. "I understand. So if you do not have a den, where do you  
sleep?"  
  
"I've been sleeping in one of the communal buildings- the cafeteria. I  
hope to get permission to borrow one of the private huts like the one we  
just left while you are here, though- I want you to have a place of your  
own, for now. I don't believe that you need to start learning to accept  
humans by sleeping with an army of them."  
  
San shuddered in revulsion. "No, I do not. Tell me, though- why are there  
private huts like that one not in use, while most humans are forced to  
endure sleeping with each other?"  
  
"They are in use, actually. But a different couple uses them each night...  
they are used for when the married couples who have not restored their own  
dens attempt a... physical mating."  
  
The blush on San's face told him that she understood. "Oh. But my brother  
advised that we avoid... that."  
  
"I am not suggesting it," Ashitaka replied, nearly squirming in  
embarrassment. "You would have the hut to yourself, and one less married  
couple will be able to mate during that period. It need only be for a few  
days, while my own hut- I mean, den- is being built, and then you can sleep  
in that while you are still here. I will continue to sleep in the communal  
area."  
  
"That is unnecessary," San said in a near whisper. "Physical mating may  
be... dangerous, but we can still sleep in the same den. It might... help  
make this easier."  
  
Ashitaka knocked on the door of a somewhat sturdier building, which looked  
only partially restored. He smiled at San. "I believe that, too, can be  
arranged. But you WILL have to be civil to Eboshi today, if you want that  
to happen."  
  
"I'll try."  
  
The door opened, and Gonza's distrusting face appeared.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Ashitaka stared the man straight in the eye, a fierce expression on his  
face. "Tell the Lady Eboshi that I need to discuss with her some  
preparations to be made regarding a guest." He paused. "Better yet, step  
aside. San and I will just talk with her, ourselves."  
  
*****  
  
  
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Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee   
fanfics available at   
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	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3  
Forgot one romanization difference in the last chapter's notes- Akashishi  
for Red Elk (Yakul's breed)  
-------------------------  
  
Kaya sat down in exhaustion. She'd been traveling for five days, and had  
tracked Ashitaka as far as she could. She'd passed through a battlefield,  
where tales of a man riding a red elk who routed a marauding group of rogue  
samurai several months beforehand were still the talk of the town. She'd  
found a nearby village, where she met a rice dealer who had asked her if  
she intended to buy any rice with any of those gold nuggets the 'other  
stranger' had used (she wasn't- she didn't even have any of the gold her  
brother had set off with). There she'd been given some word that he'd gone  
to the southwest- where even more tales of a man sounding like her brother  
were heard of. Who 'Eboshi' and the 'Lord Asano' were, Kaya didn't know,  
but somehow her brother had gotten in the middle of a war between the two.  
  
Unfortunately, she couldn't find where this fortress of 'Tataraba' was, and  
she didn't want to have to go back into another village to find out. Last  
time she went to a village, some bandits had tried to attack her... she was  
lucky to have escaped unharmed, and didn't want to risk it again.  
  
But the few tracks for Yukkaru she'd been able to find had run out at the  
edge of a dark and mysterious forest, and it looked like she'd have to seek  
out someone who knew the way to Tataraba. Which, of course, meant finding  
another village where she'd have to brave more bandits, curiosity-seekers,  
and other dangers. She wondered about that- her home-town had always felt  
like a refuge from the dangers of the wild, but now the wild seemed a  
refuge from the dangers of the village. Were her people the only  
reasonably sane ones left in the world?  
  
A rattling from behind her startled Kaya out of her thoughts. She spun  
around, hand on her sword in case it was a snake or a bandit, but saw it  
was neither. "A Kodama? I haven't seen one since I left home..." She  
smiled at it. They were playful creatures, and the people of her village  
loved talking to them. Some wondered if they could understand what was  
said to them, but most felt that they even if they did, they wouldn't care.  
"Hello, little one. You wouldn't happen to know where my brother is,  
would you? He came through these parts, I'm sure, riding an unusual mount-  
an akashishi."  
  
The kodama clacked, and for some reason Kaya felt as though it had told her  
yes.  
  
"You do? Would you be willing to lead me to him?"  
  
The little spirit bowed in reply, and then started running along a path.   
When Kaya didn't immediately follow it, the kodama glanced back, and waved  
at her to follow.  
  
'He understands me!' Kaya thought, amazed. 'These are strange woods, if a  
kodama from it will listen to a human like me.'  
  
*****  
  
Ashitaka was in a deep sleep again. And Shishigami decided, once more, to  
make an appearance.  
  
"Welcome back, Ashitaka," the deer-god greeted.  
  
"Shishigami... what is it you desire?"  
  
"First, I want to let you know that you did a good thing by letting the  
Moro clan know of my plans. This will not work without their support, and  
San cannot know of my plans just yet, for she is not ready."  
  
"I felt it best that they should know. But I have a question..."  
  
"You should know, you are going to have a visitor soon. You will have to  
begin a journey after she arrives... you might want to prepare yourself and  
your mate for this."  
  
"A visitor? Who?"  
  
Shishigami didn't answer, but instead just smiled. Ashitaka was about to  
repeat his question when the Shishigami faded from view. Suddenly, he was  
faced with the odd sensation of rising, as if floating out of a pool of  
water. His eyes blinked open, and he stared into the face of San.  
  
"Were you dreaming?" she asked tenderly. "You appeared... unsettled."  
  
He smiled. It had been a wonderful five days. Though San was still  
uncomfortable around most humans, at least she wasn't claiming to hate all  
of them... though she'd had some epic battles of will with Toki, was barely  
able to remain polite around Eboshi, and continued to act as though she  
were a wolf (which was fine, as long as she didn't say she couldn't like  
humans because she was a wolf), it had been a far better visit then he had  
feared. With her help he had been able to finish his 'den' in less time  
than he had expected, and he was learning much about her he did not know-  
little things, but somehow important ones. Things like where her wolf-skin  
cloak had come from (it was from a natural daughter of Moro's, killed the  
same day that San was abandoned to Moro), the origin of her tattoos (made  
by the apes when they and the Moro clan were more peaceful with each other,  
done using bamboo needles and floral dyes), and the methods by which she  
learned to smell and hear better than most humans.  
  
She did have her problems- she couldn't stand to be behind the town's walls  
when she wasn't trying to sleep. But Ashitaka quickly arranged for the two  
of them to be given duties outside of the fortress- having decided to  
rebuild Iron Town as a 'good' village, Eboshi had eliminated most of the  
iron production from its economy, instead setting up some rice patties  
outside the walls that could be sent off for trading. True, there were  
still plans to bring some of the iron production back, but now Eboshi would  
only allow mining in the already barren areas around the town. The attack  
by Moro, it seemed to Ashitaka, had really opened her eyes.  
  
At any rate, planting and cultivating the rice seemed to agree with San.   
Or, at least, it didn't disagree with her, like working inside the fortress  
working on repairing the buildings did. If he'd had time off before he  
found out they were going on a big journey, he could have suggested some  
games the wolfish side of her might like to play- a race around the village  
from the rooftops, play fights like he'd seen the wolf-cubs of his own  
hometown have, and more. But she'd insisted on doing whatever it was he  
was doing, while they were here. He had a funny feeling she wanted him to  
join her in whatever adventures she and her brothers went on when they  
returned to them.  
  
And he was enjoying the sweet torture of having her in his bed at night- it  
was getting more and more difficult to ignore the physical urges her  
presence inspired (for while they had engaged in some minor physical  
intimacies, they had heeded her brother's advice not to take things too  
far, just yet). Thankfully, they both slept with most of their clothes on,  
or else things might be even more difficult... though that crystal dagger  
could really hurt if she accidentally stabbed him with it in her sleep. He  
was almost grateful that they'd be leaving soon- it would probably be  
easier to avoid those feelings when they were traveling.  
  
Almost. She was also a great comfort after a long day of work, and a very  
pleasant thing to wake up to. And, for a girl who was raised by wolves,  
who had little if any human contact for most of her life, she was a great  
conversationalist.  
  
"Yes," Ashitaka answered her. "I was dreaming. Though I can't really say  
what I was dreaming about."  
  
She gave him a few quick licks to the cheek. When she'd first done it,  
he'd been a little disturbed- it was quite an unusual sensation, and quite  
unexpected, but then he remembered that one way dogs showed affection to  
their masters was by licking them. While she was far from a dog (despite  
her insistence on being a wolf), and he was far from her master, her  
wolf-like upbringing had taught her that this was an appropriate way of  
expressing her feeling. She also knew the human custom of kissing, and  
would occasionally give him a kiss as well, but she seemed to like this  
form of intimacy much better.  
  
"So what do you need to do, today?"  
  
Ashitaka wrapped his arms around her, returning her lick with a kiss. He'd  
learned how to (appropriately) give her a wolf-style licking himself, after  
some coaching. However, he was much more comfortable with kissing,  
himself. Usually, he returned a kiss with a lick (believing that the  
effort she made to remember the human tradition deserved to be responded to  
in kind with a wolven one) and a lick with a kiss, much to the amusement of  
the people of Iron Town. San didn't care much whether they were alone or  
not- if she felt like kissing or licking him, she did. Thankfully, no-one  
was disgusted by their behavior, but there were plenty of times when one of  
the men or women of the village (Toki, especially) would tease him a little  
about their relationship. Ashitaka wondered, at times, if San was trying  
to embarrass him into abandoning humanity and joining her with the wolves.  
  
"Today, we are on our own. We've worked day and night shifts for four days  
and five nights, and now we have three days and two nights to relax."  
  
"Oh, really? Well, how were you planning to get us to relax?" she said,  
smiling.  
  
"I have a few ideas..."  
  
*****  
  
Kaya was pushed almost to breathlessness, trying to keep pace with the  
kodama. It stopped in a clearing, and she put on a little extra speed to  
catch up with it... when it faded away.  
  
Kaya blinked. "Where did you go, little friend? I thought you were taking  
me to see my brother...."  
  
She went quiet when she realized something was behind her. Something much  
larger than the kodama. She put her hand on her sword, ready to draw it in  
a second, and turned around.  
  
There stood a very large wolf. Almost as tall as she was, she realized her  
sword would be useless if it decided to attack- though it was smaller than  
the huge boar-demon she had challenged with her blade several months ago.   
This wolf didn't seem to be attacking- at least, not yet- but she could  
tell from his eyes that he didn't particularly like her.  
  
"What are you doing in the Moro Clan's forest, human?"  
  
Kaya swallowed her fear. A wolf-god! And it could speak! Perhaps she  
could talk it into letting her pass, unharmed.  
  
Bowing, she answered, "I apologize for the intrusion, oh great one. I have  
come to this land in search of my brother. A kodama was guiding me through  
the forest- I believed that it knew of him and was going to take me to him.  
However, just as you appeared, he faded away."  
  
"Kodama are unreliable guides, human," the wolf warned. "They usually take  
you where they want you to go, not where you ask them to take you."  
  
"I am sorry, sir," Kaya answered. "I thought it was trying to help me."  
  
"This forest and the humans have been at war for some time, human. Were  
you aware of this?"  
  
"No," Kaya admitted. She had heard nothing about such a conflict in her  
travels. However, this wolf seemed reasonable, and she was not a part of  
that war. "I come from far away, and know nothing about this forest save  
that my brother traveled through here some months ago."  
  
The wolf padded up to her slowly. "You are lucky we have a truce, at this  
moment," he said. He sniffed her a few times, and looked puzzled. "You  
smell familiar, human. Who is this brother you are searching for? What is  
his name?"  
  
"My brother?" She smelled familiar? That could be bad news- if her  
brother had gotten involved in the war between the humans and the wolves as  
well as the war between this 'Eboshi' and 'Lord Asano,' then perhaps he had  
been eaten by this wolf. Then again, her brother was a resourceful man...  
it was also just as possible that he had killed a great many of these  
wolves, as well. Especially if the curse of hatred that the tatarigami had  
placed on him had not been removed. In that case, then perhaps the wolf  
would be looking for vengeance, which would be bad for her.  
  
"Yes, human, your brother! Don't make me repeat myself- wolves like myself  
are known for our short temper."  
  
Kaya swallowed. She didn't have near the courage nor the strength of her  
brother- he might have been able to face down this monster, but she  
couldn't do it. However, she had to answer him. "My brother's name, sir,  
is Ashitaka. He was a prince of my people, before a tatarigami curse  
claimed him."  
  
The wolf sniffed her once more. "Hmm... so that's why you smell familiar.   
What is your name, girl?"  
  
"Kaya, sir."  
  
"Well, Kaya, you certainly have leave to travel through here. As you are  
Ashitaka's sister, you are the Moro clan's sister, as well. Come, follow  
me. I will take you to him."  
  
'As Ashitaka's sister, I'm this wolf's sister? Brother, what does this  
mean?' Kaya thought as she followed the wolf. She had trouble keeping up  
with it, and finally he slowed down to a stop.  
  
"Are you sure that you are the sister of Ashitaka? He ran alongside us  
wolves in battle without trouble, and you are barely able to run at all."  
  
Kaya glared at the wolf. "I was running for several hours before I ran  
into you, and I haven't slept much in the past five days. I'm exhausted.   
Besides, Ashitaka is- was- the best of us. He was trained to run faster  
and farther than anyone, to be stronger then the strongest man of our  
village, and to fight better than the greatest samurai. That, and while we  
have the same mother, I had a different father. His died before I was  
born."  
  
The wolf almost sighed. Sitting itself, he growled, "Climb on. You can  
ride me part of the way."  
  
Kaya blinked. She had never even heard of a human riding a wolf, and she  
didn't know if it was truly possible. "That is very gracious, but... I've  
never ridden anything before, much less a wolf."  
  
The wolf snorted in frustration. "Just sit on me, grip with your knees,  
and hang on. I won't go too fast."  
  
She was still hesitant, but Kaya decided to do as he said. Besides, her  
legs were so tired that she might not last if she tried to run with him.   
Taking her place on his back, she waited, somewhat scared, for the trip to  
start.  
  
"Relax, human- I've never dropped a passenger before, I won't start now,"  
the wolf growled softly as it stood- an almost comforting sound. "I'll  
start off walking. When I start speeding up, lean forward unless you want  
to be blown off."  
  
"Uh, yes, sir," Kaya said, leaning forward before he even started walking.   
As he sped up, though, she began to enjoy the sensation- the wind ripping  
around them as they sped through the trees. She buried her face in the  
wolf's fur, enjoying the warmth.  
  
After a few minutes, she raised her head as they slowed down. They  
appeared to be about to ford a river, and the wolf was trying to be  
careful. "Say, what is your name?"  
  
"What?" the wolf growled in surprise.  
  
"You DO have a name, right?"  
  
"Yes, but you would not be able to pronounce it."  
  
Kaya frowned. "Well, then, what do I call you if I want to talk to you?"  
  
"I don't know- it's never come up before... what do you want to call me?"  
he asked.  
  
"Hmm... well, when you were moving fast there, it felt like we were riding  
the wind, so how about I call you Windrider?"  
  
"If you want. I don't care," the wolf said tolerantly.  
  
Kaya nodded. "So, Windrider, just why did you call me your sister? What  
does Ashitaka have to do with all of this?"  
  
"I called you my sister because, in the traditions of the Moro clan, you  
are. Your brother is mated to my sister, San, and therefore is my brother.  
As the sister of my brother, you are my sister."  
  
Kaya blinked, not sure she heard right. "My brother married a wolf?"  
  
The wolf chuckled. "Not married- mated. Wolves do not marry, and San was  
very particular that she wanted to follow the wolven tradition," he said as  
he finished crossing the river. "Now hold on- if I don't get you to where  
your brother is by nightfall, you will be trapped outside."  
  
He burst into a run before Kaya had a chance to say anything. She was  
stunned, to say the least- was her brother a pervert? 'Mating' with a  
wolf- what would their mother think? Were there no humans he could love?  
  
Her shocked thoughts occupied her mind the remainder of the ride to Iron  
Town. The wolf stopped just outside of a clearing, in the center of which  
lay a damaged fortress. "Here we are, sister," Windrider said, taking a  
seat. Kaya slid off, falling onto her back.  
  
"Oof," she grunted. "You could have given me a LITTLE more warning than  
that."  
  
The wolf chuckled. "Sorry. Most of those who've ridden me just leapt off  
when the trip was over." He paused. "Are you okay?"  
  
Kaya sat up slowly. "Yeah, I'll live."  
  
"Good," Windrider growled. "I don't feel like going into that human  
village right now, despite our truce, so you're on your own the rest of the  
way. And let my sister know we will be glad to see her- and whoever else  
she brings with her- when she returns."  
  
Kaya glanced over at the wolf. "I still can't believe my brother is  
married- excuse me, 'mated to,' a wolf."  
  
"All is not as it seems, Kaya," he replied. "Let the women at the gate  
know you are Ashitaka's sister, and you will be well looked after.   
Farewell."  
  
Before Kaya could ask what he meant, he left, disappearing into the forest  
with little more than a whisper of sound.  
  
*****  
  
"Now, San, what did I tell you about pinching too hard?"  
  
San giggled. "Hmm... I don't remember."  
  
"I said it makes the walls of the bowl too thin. Are you trying to mess  
this up?"  
  
San was sitting between Ashitaka's legs. His hands were on hers, and he  
was helping her to manipulate a lump of clay into a crude bowl. San and  
Ashitaka were both covered in streaks of grey, where the drying clay had  
been smeared on them. Ashitaka was somewhat uncomfortable, but he knew of  
no other way to teach bowl-making. Usually, in his village, children were  
taught how to work with clay at five years of age, and this was the method  
used- the adult holding the child's hands and showing the young boy or girl  
how to make the clay bend, fold, and otherwise shape itself as it was  
supposed to. However, usually the boy or girl wasn't a fully mature and  
very attractive woman, as San was.  
  
"Maybe," she growled playfully, leaning back into him and licking his  
cheek. Suddenly, her face scrunched up, and she turned and spat. "Pheh!   
You taste like dirt."  
  
"That's because clay IS dirt," Ashitaka said with a slightly teasing smile.  
"And you've been smearing that clay all over me for a while now."  
  
"Why do you need to make a bowl, anyway?" San asked. "You already have  
one."  
  
"True, but this isn't a bowl for me. This is a bowl for you."  
  
"For me?" she answered, surprised, squishing the vaguely bowl-like lump of  
clay in her hand and forcing them to start over. "Why would I need a  
bowl?"  
  
Ashitaka considered how to answer for a moment. He knew they would be on a  
journey shortly, and felt that a bowl would be something important for her  
to have while on the road- they may be traveling places where food was  
scarce, and if so she may have to rely on the stored food that had to be  
prepared and cooked, rather than the hunting or foraging he knew she  
preferred.  
  
"Well, I know you are a wolf, at least at heart. But your body is that of  
a humans, and the palette of a humans is probably a bit different from that  
of a wolves. I don't know about a wolves' tongue, but a human's likes  
variety from time to time, and exotic tastes and flavors. I was thinking  
of spoiling you with a few well-prepared human meals... you may or may not  
like the taste, but at least you'd be using the human part of yourself you  
hate so much to an advantage."  
  
San hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure she liked that idea- eating  
human food? Wouldn't that make her more human, something she was trying to  
avoid? Well... perhaps. But right at that moment, there were a few things  
for which she was glad she was human.  
  
"I will never say this again," she began. "And if you ever try to claim I  
mentioned anything like this, I will violently deny it. However, I  
think... I think there are a few things about having a human body that I do  
like. You, being one of them." She hesitantly, and for effect, gave him a  
quick kiss- a kiss, he noted, and not a lick. Her voice changed as she  
continued, becoming a frisky wolfish growl. "But don't you EVER forget  
that I'm NOT a human, no matter what my body may be- that inside, I'm still  
a wolf, and will always BE a wolf. Got it?"  
  
In response, he licked her on the nose- the only place on her (that he  
could see, at any rate) which did not have clay streaks on it. Forgetting  
the smushed bowl in their hands, San turned around in his arms and growled.  
He licked her again, and she lightly caught his tongue in her teeth. Her  
eyes were very playful, like those of a puppy Ashitaka recalled his sister  
raising when he was very young, and she continued to growl at him.  
  
It was into this scene that Kaya walked, eyes wide.  



	4. Chapter 4

Moving along on this fic with all possible speed. Enjoy.  
  
Chapter 4  
-------------------------  
  
San was looking into Ashitaka's eyes, thinking of nothing but play, when  
suddenly she noticed shock and fear rise up into his eyes. Immediately,  
she sprung into action, releasing his tongue and spinning around out of his  
arms, preparing for battle.  
  
What she saw was not a real threat, but a strange female human, whose own  
eyes were filled with shock. Not a threat, but still trespassing on her  
and her mate, unwanted.  
  
"This is our territory, human," she snarled, bristling at the intrusion.   
"Leave, at once, and to not encroach upon it again!"  
  
The other girl stepped back, momentarily startled, but then Ashitaka  
reached out and started petting San's hair, calming the heat of battle  
inside her.  
  
"Relax, San. This is not an enemy, but a friend."  
  
"But you looked afraid! And she came into our den, uninvited!" she  
protested, though she continued to let him stroke her hair.  
  
"I was merely startled. I never expected to see her again." He looked up  
at the new girl. "Come in, Kaya. San, meet Kaya- my sister from back in  
the Emishi village. Kaya, meet San. My mate."  
  
Kaya glanced at San, finally regaining the bearings she had lost some time  
on her journey through the forest- she wasn't sure where, exactly, whether  
it was the moment the kodama left her or the conversation where Windrider  
said that Ashitaka was mating with a wolf, but this looked normal enough to  
her. She had caught her older brother with a girl- a girl who, despite her  
strange appearance, was very much human. For some reason, that modicum of  
reassurance had stabilized her. For the moment.  
  
"I thought I heard your 'mate' was a wolf. That wolf outside said so. The  
villagers around here all agreed with him, and even expanded on the story,  
calling her the PRINCESS of the wolves. I didn't know what to think- I  
briefly considered that it might have been some bizarre arranged marriage  
where you didn't know what to expect, and I feared I would find out that  
you were some kind of bizarre pervert. But when I get here, I find that  
really you're a girl, not a wolf," Kaya said bluntly.  
  
San snarled at the younger girl, and almost attacked her for the outrage,  
but Ashitaka held her back. She turned to look at him, about ready to hate  
him for betraying her and not allowing her to correct this stupid human,  
when she heard what he was saying.  
  
"Kaya, San is very much a wolf. Maybe not in body- and I thank the gods  
daily that it isn't in body, though I doubt she agrees with me- but in  
heart, and mind, and spirit, and custom. She was born a human, but raised  
a wolf. I believe her to be a wolf, as she believes herself to be.   
However, I also believe her to be a human, which..." he glanced over at her  
apologetically. "She neither agrees with nor appreciates."  
  
Kaya had seen his eyes as he declared the obviously human girl crouching  
next to him a wolf, and recalled having seen those eyes before. They were  
the eyes which said that he would stand for no argument, and the gods help  
those who tried. Or perhaps even the gods would be insufficient- he had  
killed that tatarigami, after all.  
  
Kaya took a closer look at San, just to see if she could find what it was  
he was talking about in her appearance. The tattoos were odd, but somewhat  
exotic, and seemed to fit her face. The earrings were oversized, and  
looked as if they would jingle if she turned her head too quickly, but  
framed her face well. The hair was roughly hewn and uneven, but again this  
seemed to fit her personality.  
  
Around San's neck, attached by a thin strap of leather, lay an ornament  
that Kaya was quite familiar with- the crystal dagger, which had once been  
her mother's and which she'd given to Ashitaka as he left. Her eyes darted  
to her brother, narrowing briefly. She'd have to have a talk with him  
about giving such a personal item to a stranger, but that could wait until  
they were alone. No need to embarrass the girl- wolf, whatever she was-  
that he had given it to.  
  
Her eyes continued down the other girl's body. The dress was a plain white  
fabric, perhaps stitched together from old rice bags. Sitting a ways away  
from her- obviously set aside to protect it from the clay- lay another  
garment which Kaya assumed belonged to the girl- a white fur with fake  
wooden wolf-ears on it. Her legs appeared filled with tensile strength,  
and now that Kaya noticed it her arms did, as well- almost as if she'd been  
running on all fours all of her life. Then again, maybe she just exercised  
a lot.  
  
Kaya's eyes went back onto San's face, and it was there she finally saw the  
proof in the words that her brother had spoke. The eyes of the other girl,  
while human in shape, had a vaguely animal demeanor to them. Her nose was  
wrinkled up into a slight snarl, and her movements suggested a vaguely  
wolf-like action. Windrider, Ashitaka, and all those people in the village  
were right: this was no girl, this was a wolf. One human enough to need to  
mate with other humans, but a wolf nonetheless.  
  
Kaya straightened. A wolf who apparently got quite upset when someone  
called her a human. A wolf who she probably should apologize too.  
  
She bowed down before San, and said, "I am terribly sorry, sister. Your  
human body distracted me from seeing the signs of what you truly are... and  
that is most definitely a wolf. I know this, not from the words of my  
brother, but from seeing in your eyes, your strength, and in the way you  
move. I beg that you forgive me for my former rude assumption."  
  
San was taken somewhat aback. A human who could see the wolfish parts of  
her? Even Ashitaka, who believed her to be both human and wolf, who loved  
her dearly, and who felt that she was beautiful had never mentioned any  
physical traits that made her appear human. In fact, mere moments  
beforehand they had been talking about a human trait he believed to be in  
her (and which she knew, from experience, was not really the case- she had  
tasted 'human' food before, and didn't have any more appreciation for it  
than she did for the roots and the raw meat which her mother and brothers  
had offered her. She did not say anything about it to Ashitaka, however,  
as she was having too much fun making the bowl to spoil it with such a  
pointless concern). Perhaps the human was lying, but San did not get that  
sense from her. This was something worth considering in the future, when  
she could be alone with her thoughts.  
  
"Your bloodline is more impressive than I believed, my mate," she said to  
Ashitaka. "Our sister can see much that others can not."  
  
Ashitaka caught the word 'our,' and was somewhat surprised. "So you will  
allow her into the Moro clan?"  
  
"I would," San admitted, "But I don't need to. All of those of your blood  
are now part of our clan."  
  
"My sister is my only living family from the Emishi," Ashitaka noted.   
"Though she has more family from her father. My father died before I was  
born, and Kaya's father still lives... but our mother passed on in  
childbirth. Her third child, who would have been my brother, was buried  
alongside her, stillborn. Kaya was still a babe, then, and I was not much  
older." He paused. "And what I want to know is, why have you left your  
father, and the village, to follow me here. You know that the curse of the  
tatarigami ended my life, as far as the Emishi are concerned- you will get  
in terrible trouble, if the village ever finds out."  
  
"Not if your curse was cured- if that were the case, then once again we can  
count you among the living," Kaya stated. "And it must have been, for  
otherwise you would be dead by now."  
  
Ashitaka shook his head, and even San looked somewhat surprised at that.   
Pulling off his clay-stained sleeve, he revealed the arm with its blackened  
welts. "Not quite. Partially, yes- the scar has faded some, and will not  
grow, but it has not faded completely. It no longer causes me pain, and it  
will not kill me, but it will still act. It remains... if anger takes  
hold, it will take control- it will increase my strength and rage, and will  
hold me through wounds which should be fatal. If I get angry enough to  
fight, I may not be able to stop myself from killing another... and that, I  
realize now, was the true reason I had to be dead to the village. Not  
because I was dying, but because I could consume the village in hatred and  
anger if I was not checked."  
  
San raised a hand to trace the remains of the scars. "You did not tell me  
of this," she said in a growl. A different type of growl than Ashitaka had  
heard her make before- this one seemed soothing, as if she were trying to  
comfort a sick child.  
  
"I know," he said. "And I am sorry that I did not. I did not want to  
concern you and add to your burden of adjusting to a life spent here part  
of the time. I figured you would ask at some point in the future, when you  
noticed that the scars remained, and I would tell you then. Now, however,  
I feared would have been too soon." He paused. "It is not bad- I am at  
peace, here, and it is unlikely that I will encounter a situation where I  
must fight in anger. In fun, perhaps," he added, remembering his and San's  
playful bout before Kaya's arrival, "But not in anger."  
  
Kaya looked slightly distressed. "Then... you won't come home? You won't  
return to our village?"  
  
Ashitaka sighed. "No, sister. Not even if I WAS cured would I do that-  
all that which is my life is here, now. My responsibilities are first to  
San, then to the Moro clan, and then to both the forest and this village.   
I am sorry."  
  
Kaya nodded. "I was afraid you would not come home. But, then, brother, I  
shall stay here with you. There is nothing for me back home."  
  
Ashitaka frowned. "Yes, there is. You have friends, you have a father,  
and you have a simple life. Life here is hard and filled with complexities  
you should not have to deal with. It was nice to see you again, but I  
don't believe you should stay here. Go home, Kaya... this is not the place  
for you."  
  
"Friends? Like who?" Kaya complained. "No-one bothers paying any  
attention to me- not even my father. He barely acknowledges I exist! You  
never ignored me, brother, and you were always kind to me. Life here is  
hard? I'd rather have a hard life and be with you than have an easy life  
and be alone. I am staying here."  
  
"Nonsense," Ashitaka said. "I am fairly sure your father misses you, at  
the very least. I suspect you didn't tell anyone that you were leaving,  
and that the entire village in an uproar over your sudden disappearance.   
And you were always running around with those other two girls- what were  
their names again?"  
  
"Miki and Yume. Miki was the one who fell..." Kaya recalled, shuddering.  
  
"You were willing to face the tatarigami alone to protect her, even though  
you had less chance than I did to fend off the demon. Do you mean to tell  
me she and Yume mean nothing to you?" Ashitaka demanded.  
  
"She hasn't said one word to me since you left the village! Neither of  
them have- it's like when you left, they lost interest in me," Kaya cried.  
  
San was watching this back and forth with confusion. What was Ashitaka so  
upset about? His sister should be allowed to choose her own path, after  
all. Then again, could this be another of those human things she didn't  
understand? Just as she and the Moro clan were responsible for protecting  
the forest, maybe Ashitaka felt it was his duty to protect his sister.   
She'd have to ask him about that...   
  
"Well," Ashitaka said. "Perhaps they just don't know what to say to you.   
Especially Miki- she must feel like SHE was responsible for my death, after  
all. How does she talk to you when she has that burden? You should have  
approached them."  
  
Kaya remained defiant for a few more moments, then sighed and looked away.   
"Maybe you're right. But I'm already here, and it was a dangerous trip,  
and... and... I can't go home now. I don't WANT to go home, now. I want  
to stay with you," she said, tears starting to form in her eyes.  
  
Ashitaka smiled sympathetically. "Kaya, you know that isn't possible.   
Besides, I'm not going to stay here, myself. I'll live here some of the  
time, but I'll also be living in the forest with San- she'd go insane if  
she had to live in this village the rest of her life. In fact, I'll  
probably live more time there than here... and I know you wouldn't like  
living with us there, even if I was able to spend most of my time with you,  
which I wouldn't." He sighed. "I am sorry, little sister, but we have to  
go our separate ways. You have to let me go."  
  
Kaya sniffed, using a finger to wipe away a tear. "Will you at least take  
me home and keep me safe on the journey?"  
  
"We both will," San interjected, drawing attention back to her. Kaya had  
almost forgotten about her presence. "I did not know that Ashitaka's  
mother and father were dead... I would like to go with you and, as you  
humans put it, respect the graves of your ancestors. And I would like to  
see the place my mate came from."  
  
Ashitaka was surprised- he knew that they were going on a journey shortly,  
but did not expect it to be back to his home. And he certainly didn't  
expect San to join him, if it meant going that far. "Are you sure, San?   
You will have to leave the forest for several days, and we will have to  
stop in human villages you do not know, since we would need to purchase  
supplies we could not forage from time to time."  
  
San nodded. Her curiosity had been peaked. Yakul had told some  
interesting stories of Ashitaka and his people, and Kaya also intrigued  
her. Perhaps, if Ashitaka's village was able to produce more human's like  
him and his sister, there was hope for peace after all. "Yes, I'm sure.   
One of my brothers will go with us, and we can travel much faster... your  
sister can ride Yakul, and you and I can both ride my brother."  
  
Ashitaka shook his head. "No, my sister cannot ride Yakul. She does not  
know how."  
  
"I could ride one of your brothers, though- I rode Windrider here!" Kaya  
suggested.  
  
"Windrider?" San blinked.  
  
"Oh, sorry," Ashitaka's sister apologized. "He said I couldn't pronounce  
his name, and I wanted to be able to call him something, so I gave him a  
name. He said I could call him whatever I wanted...."  
  
San bent over and sniffed Kaya for a few seconds, much to the younger girls  
surprise. "Ah, you rode... where is my mask?" San crawled over to her  
wolfskin, putting on her mask and making a strange howling sound. "That is  
his real name, and even I cannot pronounce it without help. I am a bit  
surprised- he doesn't like being ridden, and so usually I travel on my  
other brother. I will ask him if he will take you, though... and I will  
ride on Yakul with Ashitaka."  
  
Ashitaka shook his head. He hadn't exactly agreed to this. Then again, he  
was one who accepted fate, and it seemed as if he had no real choice in  
this matter. Besides, it might be nice to return home... even if he  
couldn't go into the village.  
  
"I just realized that there is a problem in this," he said, "though it can  
be easily solved."  
  
"What?" Kaya asked.  
  
"Well... I am still dead to our village. I cannot go inside... but if you  
still wish to visit my ancestors graves, San, I am sure Kaya can take you."  
  
San was disappointed, but nodded. The important thing was seeing if  
Ashitaka was right, and humans and the forest could really co-exist. "I  
would rather go with you, but that would be acceptable."  
  
"Then we'd better go see Eboshi and tell her where we're going. She should  
know we won't be available for a while."  
  
San wrinkled her nose in distaste. "If you must. I'll go and talk to my  
brothers about our plans- one of them will have to stay behind, and guard  
the forest." She went to a pot of water and started rinsing the dry clay  
stains off of her skin.  
  
Ashitaka nodded. "Okay. Kaya, what do you want to do? Go with San, see  
Eboshi, or explore the village? I know a nice woman named Toki who would  
love to give you a tour...."  
  
Kaya notice San's glare at Ashitaka's back when he mentioned Toki's name,  
and suspected there was some bad blood there. Of course, there was also  
some quite noticeable hatred for this Eboshi woman as well. "I think I'll  
join you, brother. I want to talk about some more things."  
  
San finished cleaning herself, drying her arms on her shirt. She walked  
over to her fur cloak and put it on. "I hate not having this on. My  
wolfhood feels vulnerable without it," she noted. "Ashitaka, when we mate,  
I WILL be wearing this."  
  
Kaya gawked at her, but Ashitaka said nothing. He just grabbed his sister  
by the arm and lead her out of the hut forcefully.  
  
When they were out of what she thought was earshot, she turned to her  
brother in surprise. "Did she just say what I think she said?"  
  
Ashitaka just shrugged. "She was raised by wolves, and everything she  
knows was taught her by wolves. Wolves do most everything in packs, and it  
is very rare that a wolf is alone. San doesn't seem to grasp the concept  
of 'privacy,' and when it's appropriate to discuss things like that or to  
show affection, and I suspect it comes from that. It is rather  
embarrassing, but I've accepted that she'll continue to act this way, and  
it is much better to just let her do it than to try and change her."  
  
"Yeah, but..." But what? Kaya couldn't think of anything to say about her  
brother's calm surrender to San's odd behavior. And what would it matter?   
Her brother was in love, and appeared willing to deal with a lot of weird  
things for that love. So... what COULD she say? "Won't the wolf skin just  
get in the way? And if she's going to insist that she look like a wolf, is  
she going to ask you to-"  
  
"Kaya!" Ashitaka admonished. "I put up with San doing things like that  
because she just doesn't know better, but-" He stopped when he heard the  
laughter coming from his sister. 'She's teasing me, huh? Well, fine.   
Revenge is always possible....'  
  
He paused to consider. "You know, you might be right. She probably WILL  
insist on doing things wolf-style. I wonder if I'll be able to convince  
her to try it human-style once in a while?"  
  
Kaya gagged. "Ack! I surrender! Please, brother, have mercy!"  
  
Ashitaka turned to her, an eye upraised. It had been a long time since  
he'd been able to joke around with this- that was why he liked Toki. She  
reminded him of his sister, and he could joke with her unlike with anyone  
else in all of Iron Town. Though he DID still wonder if he'd made a  
mistake in rescuing Koroku....  
  
"Very well. But you DID raise an important point I hadn't considered  
before... just how wolven IS San, in that regard, anyway?"  
  
"Aargh!" Kaya groaned, and Ashitaka's laughter traveled through the streets  
of Iron Town unlike it had any time before....  
  
*****  
  
San sighed in contentment, running on all fours through the forest. It had  
been some time since she'd been able to- she hadn't since the war against  
the humans went into full swing. It was impossible to run that way while  
carrying a weapon, and her brothers were so much faster when traveling.   
For safety's sake, they always had to move quickly, and she always needed  
her weapons when she was outside of the den during the war. But the war  
was over, and she was now able to move on her own without her weapons...  
which meant she could run on all fours, again.  
  
In less time then she might have wished, she was at the den. Neither of  
her brothers were present, and so she used her mask to howl out to them.  
  
In seconds, one of the wolves appeared from behind her. "I wondered when  
you were going to call us. Didn't you hear me following you?"  
  
San blinked. "No... I was enjoying the run too much."   
  
"I see," her brother growled. "Aren't you able to even spend one week with  
the humans, or did that sister of his chase you out? She seemed rather  
shocked when I told her that a wolf had mated with her brother."  
  
"Neither. It wasn't nearly as bad as I feared, there- they only kept me  
trapped behind the walls for the first two days, which I spent helping  
Ashitaka build his new den. Then, when he learned how I felt being stuck  
behind that town's gate, Ashitaka arranged for us to be outside, gathering  
food. And I'm curious about his sister. She could see things in me that  
no other human has." San paused. "No, the reason I've come here is  
because Ashitaka and I are going to take Kaya back to the village of the  
Emishi. It was my decision, but he agreed to it. I was hoping that you  
might be willing to let Kaya ride you on this trip."  
  
"And leave the forest unguarded?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"No, I will be riding with my mate, on Yakul. Our brother will stay here  
and make sure the humans don't start misbehaving, again."  
  
"I do not like being ridden," the wolf snapped.  
  
"You don't like ME riding you," San noted. "But Kaya says you volunteered  
to carry her. And you even let her NAME you... Windrider, wasn't it?"  
  
"Well, yes," the wolf growled sheepishly. "She was moving too slow. I  
grew impatient."  
  
"You ARE a gentler ride," San commented. "And she already knows you. Are  
you sure you will not do this?"  
  
"If you insist," he said. "With Moro's death, you DID become the leader of  
this pack, and I cannot refuse your orders without challenging you."  
  
San frowned. "I don't want you to go because I order you. I won't order  
you- I was hoping you would be willing to do so just to have some fun.   
It's not like we've had much chance to travel for pleasure since the war  
started."  
  
"That is true," he admitted. "I suppose it might be nice to see some other  
forests, for a change. If the price is letting a human ride me, I guess it  
might be worth it."  
  
"Thank you," San said, smiling. "Now all we have to do is wait, and let  
our brother know what is going on."  
  
*****  
  
Eboshi nodded as Ashitaka finished explaining his plans to her. "Well,  
this certainly sounds like an interesting journey," she said. Standing up,  
she adjusted the cloak which covered the stub which was once her right arm.  
"I think I would like to accompany you."  
  
Kaya glanced at Ashitaka in surprise, but his eyes did not leave Eboshi's.   
"San will not accept that, you know," he said.  
  
Eboshi shrugged. "If she decides to leave you just because I join you on  
your journey, so be it. I would like to see a village that lives in touch  
with nature as yours seems to, so that I can know how to do this. I have  
reformed myself, Ashitaka, after learning how great my mistakes were, but I  
am still not sure how to reform Iron Town."  
  
"It is forbidden to lead an outsider to our village," Ashitaka explained.   
"San can only go because she is part of my new family."  
  
"I can wear a blindfold," Eboshi suggested. "the location of your village  
will remain a secret, but I will still be able to visit it."  
  
"That is not acceptable," Ashitaka said sternly. "It is not permitted in  
the laws of our village."  
  
"I suspect that your returning to the village, yourself, is not permitted  
by your laws, but you are ignoring that."  
  
"I will not be entering the village, Eboshi."  
  
"If you are not allowed in the village, though, then how will San be  
allowed? She did not become your mate until AFTER you died to the Emishi,"  
Eboshi pointed out.  
  
Ashitaka's eyes narrowed. "I know you are not just interested in seeing a  
village live with nature. You would much rather remain here, if that was  
the only reason. Why do you REALLY want to accompany us?"  
  
"My reasons are private," she said. "Though I can assure you my intentions  
are good."  
  
"I will not permit you to join us unless you tell me the true reason for  
this request," Ashitaka insisted.  
  
Eboshi stared at him for a few moments, then nodded. "Very well. But this  
is only for your ears- you deserve to know. Your sister, however, must  
remain outside." She turned to look at her attendants. "As must all of  
you. Leave us."  
  
"Yes, my lady," the attendants said in unison, departing swiftly.  
  
"Brother-" Kaya started.  
  
"Go, sister. I assure you I will not allow her to come unless her reasons  
are valid. I know my responsibilities."  
  
Kaya stared at him for a few moments, then nodded. "If you say yes, then I  
MUST know what this reason is. You are still dead to the clan, brother- as  
the only LIVING representative, I should know why she gains safe passage."  
  
Ashitaka looked at Eboshi, as if seeking her permission. She nodded  
slightly. "He can tell you... but only if he accepts my explanation. If  
he doesn't, though, I do not want others to know. So, please, leave."  
  
Kaya nodded and left. Eboshi didn't say anything for several moments, and  
Ashitaka eventually grew tired of waiting.  
  
"What are your reasons, Eboshi? The real ones," Ashitaka said. "It is  
just you and me, now."  
  
Eboshi did not look at him, instead choosing a spot on the ground to  
concentrate on. "To begin with, I truthfully do not want to go if San does  
not. I wish to journey with her, and see something more of how she lives  
in her... natural element."  
  
Ashitaka nodded. "Why?"  
  
"This is... difficult," she said. "But I suppose you deserve to know. I  
should mention, Ashitaka, that you are the only person outside of myself  
who will know this. Moro knew, as well, but she is dead."  
  
That interjection piqued his curiosity, but he merely nodded. "Go on."  
  
"Ashitaka... San is... well, was... my daughter."  
  
-------------------------  
Expect a side-story dealing with Eboshi's first meetings with Moro at some  
point. Whether I do that or chapter 5 first, I dunno yet.  
  
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desaix@sysnet.net  
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee   
fanfics available at   
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David A. Tatum's Used Anime Trading Post  
http://www2.sysnet.net/~desaix/shop.htm  
  
  
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	5. Chapter 5

  
Chapter 5  
  
"Well?" Kaya asked her brother as he emerged from the building housing  
Eboshi. She noticed that he looked rather pale, as if he was recovering  
from some mild shock.  
  
"She might be accompanying us," he said, swallowing slightly. Kaya looked  
at him in surprise- she had never seen him this dazed before. "And you don'  
t want me to repeat why."  
  
Kaya bit her lip, inspecting him closely. "No, I probably don't. But I  
need you to, anyway, if she's coming along."  
  
"If she comes, she will not be entering the village," Ashitaka assured her.  
"So you don't need to know. It's better that you don't."  
  
Kaya sighed. "Well, okay... but I got the impression your wolf-girl friend  
won't particularly like Eboshi coming along."  
  
"She won't," Ashitaka agreed. "But hopefully she'll allow her to come,  
anyway. I don't particularly want Eboshi along, myself, but she has some  
pretty good reasons."  
  
Kaya nodded. "Does San have what she needs to travel?"  
  
Ashitaka sighed. "Through the woods, yes. But she doesn't have a bowl or  
anything like that for when we go through plains. I was trying to get her  
to make one when you arrived."  
  
His sister smirked a little. "Ah, yes- I remember that little scene quite  
well. Have you finally managed to wash away all of the clay yet?" she asked  
with a mild tone of teasing disapproval in her voice.  
  
"Listen, little sister," Ashitaka growled- a surprisingly wolf-like growl.  
"I love San. She loves me. We are mates, and therefore I will not feel  
ashamed for our play. If that means I get a little clay on me, so be it."  
  
Kaya blinked. "I was just teasing, brother. I did not mean to offend."  
  
Ashitaka looked a little surprised himself. "Sorry, Kaya. I... that talk  
with Eboshi has put me on edge. My anger is not with you."  
  
"Something she said may threaten your relationship?" Kaya asked.  
  
Ashitaka glanced Kaya up and down evaluatively. "I would tell you what she  
said, but it is not my place. Know, however, that it was enough to make me  
realize again just how precious San is."  
  
"I understand. Perhaps I should set about preparing a bowl for San to take  
on this journey- and perhaps you should set about preparing to explain to  
her just why you intend to take Eboshi along on this trip."  
  
Ashitaka grimmaced. "Yes, perhaps I should. Thank you, little sister."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"My lady?" Gonza asked hesitantly. "You called?"  
  
"Gonza, you are aware that I'm intending to take a long journey to the east,  
correct?" Eboshi said.  
  
Gonza nodded. "Of course, my lady. I was there while you were arguing with  
that boy about joining him."  
  
Eboshi smirked. "Yes, of course. But you did not know that I had won it."  
  
"I had no doubts that you would, my lady," Gonza intoned.  
  
"I did," she said. "I'm lucky he agreed. And it's still not certain, as  
the Princess Mononoke has not given her approval yet. At any rate, when I  
leave I intend to take Toki and her husband with me. I will also put you in  
charge- but I will only do this if you promise me something."  
  
"Anything, my lady."  
  
Eboshi nodded. "Do not antagonize the forest gods at all- especially not  
the wolves, should any remain here after I leave. If we must ever fight  
again, I would prefer they were with us and not against us."  
  
"My lady, I will do my best, but as you may recall they attacked us first!"  
  
"No, they didn't, Gonza," Eboshi said. "I know better than you ever will-  
we struck them first. And our continued destruction of their forest  
certainly did not help matters."  
  
Gonza nodded. "Very well, my lady. I will not do anything you have not  
specifically said for us to do. Hopefully, by doing nothing at all we will  
do nothing to provoke."  
  
* * * * *  
  
There was a knock at the door. It opened, and Kaya entered.  
  
"Hello?" the one worker in the building said.  
  
Kaya hesitated. "Hi. I'm... not really familiar with this town- I'm just  
visiting. Is this where the kiln is? I have a bowl that needs baking."  
  
The woman smiled in recognition. "Ah, you're Ashitaka's sister. I've heard  
about you- yes, give me the bowl, and I'll finish it for you."  
  
Kaya handed the bowl she had prepared to the woman, and knelt down to wait.  
"I'm afraid to say we need that done as soon as possible."  
  
"I can get it done in about an hour- which is faster than usual. I really  
like the style you used to prepare this one- you and Ashitaka both have very  
unusual, very beautiful bowl styles."  
  
"Really? They are in the traditional style of my clan...."  
  
"Your whole clan is rather unusual. Yet beautiful... your brother has  
stolen the hearts of every woman he meets, it seems. I think every  
unmarried woman in the village- and some who already have husbands- desires  
him. Not only that, but he has won the love of the Princess Mononoke- the  
wolf-girl who hates all humans. Not an easy feat, I assure you."  
  
"He was always the hearthrob in my village, as well," Kaya laughed.  
  
The woman hesitated. "Did he... did he have someone there? I mean, we all  
know that he did not leave your village by choice, but we have no idea what  
he left behind."  
  
Kaya grimaced. "Well, he left quite a bit behind. He was the prince of my  
village- he would be king in a couple of years. He was the last hope of our  
clan to become strong again, and he was trained to be the best at everything  
we did. He was our best fighter, our best builder, our best farmer, and was  
likely the best-looking man around. Every woman desired him- if he wasn't  
my brother, I'm sure I would have, too. But he never returned those  
feelings- he was always polite, would always stop to help the women out,  
but... I think he desired someone with more fire in them than any of our  
village. And San- the wolf-girl- she is likely a dream-come-true for him."  
She paused. "I had hoped that he would have regretted leaving me behind,  
but-"  
  
"I am sure he did," the woman interrupted. "But he really hasn't had much  
of a chance to absorb the impact of his departure from your village- when he  
left, he thought he was about to die. Since he's arrived, he's been involve  
d trying to diffuse a war, win the heart of a girl who hates all humans, and  
help rebuild a town that was shattered by a rampaging god. He hasn't had  
time to think about your absense, so he hasn't noticed it as much as he  
probably would. But I'm sure he regrets that he's had to leave you."  
  
Kaya smiled up at the girl. "Sounds like you know him pretty well."  
  
The woman flushed. "Um, I... well, I shot him," she admitted. "We and the  
Moro clan were at war, and San had attacked the village. He just, well,  
marched through our entire populace to where she and Eboshi were fighting,  
and knocked them both out. He picked up San, and was trying to leave the  
village... and, uh, well, I shot him trying to escape. It was an accident-  
I didn't really mean to shoot him, I was just bluffing, but I did. When he  
got out, he somehow recovered at a miraculous rate. After the war between  
us and San ended, he returned here and, well, he came by to talk to me,  
forgiving me for shooting him. We talked quite a bit."  
  
Kaya nodded, smiling at her. "If he forgave you, so will I. And it sounds  
like you've got a bit of a crush on him, yourself." The woman turned even  
redder with embarrassment. "What's your name, by the way?"  
  
"Kiyo," she said.  
  
"Well, Kiyo... I'm glad to have met you."  
  
"And I, you," Kiyo said, smiling.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ashitaka was waiting for San outside of the gates when she returned, running  
on all fours alongside her two wolven brothers. He'd been dreading this  
conversation, but refused to let it show. He would accept the inevitable,  
even if that inevitable was San's anger.  
  
"Ashitaka! Are you ready to go? Where's Yakul and your sister?" San asked  
enthusiastically.  
  
"We are not ready to leave," Ashitaka explained, "But we definitely need to  
discuss something before we go."  
  
San looked concerned, aware from his voice that, despite his calm  
appearance, there was definitely something upsetting him. "Is something  
wrong, mate?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you could say that. San, Eboshi is insisting  
she come along on our trip."  
  
San's eyes hardened. "No," she snarled.  
  
"I don't want her with us, either," Ashitaka said softly. "I was hoping  
this trip would be just us and Kaya there... and then just us back. But I  
don't think we can avoid this."  
  
"Why not? Surely she won't be able to follow us! We will be riding, she  
will not have a mount...."  
  
"True, though I believe she said that she'd found something she could ride.  
However, she has given me several reasons why she should join us. I do not  
agree with all of them, I do not like many of them, but some of them I  
simply cannot deny," he said.  
  
San was crouching, unconsciously lowering herself into an attack stance.  
This almost felt like another betrayal to that... that WOMAN who had  
harrassed her clan for years, now. She could sort of understand why he did  
not allow her to kill Eboshi- he wanted peace, an end to hatred, and  
co-existance between the forest and the humans. But why would he allow her  
to join them on a private journey? "What are these reasons?"  
  
Ashitaka could hear the menace in her voice, and could see her anger  
building. This was what he had been afraid of, but he had to bear it. "The  
most convincing of these are not for me to tell, but there are many others.  
For one thing, having her with us will make travel much easier- neither you  
nor I are very experienced in the outside world. My village was isolated  
from most of the rest of Japan, and I have difficulty dealing with certain  
situation Eboshi has been raised to handle."  
  
"She may be useful in that regard," San admitted, "But she is not NEEDED. I  
will let her come with us if you can convince me that she MUST be with us."  
  
However, one of her brothers intervened. "Boy, does this have something to  
do with that which we were discussing earlier?"  
  
Ashitaka looked at the wolf. He'd actually forgotten about that, with all  
of the shock of Eboshi's declaration. However, that made a lot of sense-  
Eboshi was one of the four who Shishigami had told him about, and he and San  
were two of the others. "I am not certain, but I believe so," he said.  
  
San looked from her brother to her mate suspiciously. "What are you two  
hiding from me? What is going on?"  
  
"You will know soon enough," the wolf said. "But it is a matter of grave  
importance."  
  
"And as I said, it is not for me to say," Ashitaka explained. "I hate  
having to hide things from you, but there are times when it is unavoidable."  
  
San concentrated her attention on her brother. "I may love Ashitaka as my  
mate, but he is a human. I cannot trust him to know what is best for us.  
You, however, know what this secret is, and you are a wolf. I know I can  
trust your judgement... should I allow Eboshi to come with us, for this  
reason you cannot say?"  
  
He did not even hesitate. "Yes. While I hate that woman as much as you,  
and trust her even less, I believe that if this really does have something  
to do with the secret Ashitaka shared with me, this is perhaps the most  
important thing you will ever do."  
  
Her eyes continued to dart between her brother and her mate. "Then I will  
accept her company. But know I am not happy about this."  
  
Ashitaka nodded. "I was not expecting you to be. I am not happy with it,  
either. But I hope you do not hate me because of it."  
  
Ashitaka looked at him, and saw his face. It didn't show often- usually he  
wore an emotionless mask that hid every feeling he had, even when they were  
expressing their limited intimacies- but every now and then something showed  
through. What she saw on his face right then was fear- and a lot of it. He  
was actually afraid she would hate him for this.  
  
"I have learned a lot of things about you in the past week, Ashitaka," San  
said. "One of them is that, despite being a human, you will never deserve  
my hatred. I may get upset, but I will never hate you, mate."  
  
He smiled up at her, visibly relaxing. "Thank you, mate. Now, let us go in  
and see how my sister fares with her preparations."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Koroku looked at his wife pleadingly. "Can't we beg off of this? Please?  
Just claim that my injuries still need time to heal?"  
  
Toki snorted. "Everyone knows your bones were healed when the Shishigami  
died. Now hurry up and keep packing- it's not like we can avoid this, after  
all. This is what Eboshi wants us to do."  
  
"But how can she order us to travel with that wolf-girl! I mean, she  
terrifies me!"  
  
Toki laughed. "Oh, come on. She's actually pretty nice, she's just a  
bit... well, wild. What do you expect? She was raised by wolves, after  
all!"  
  
"Yeah, but what about those wolves? They're coming with us, aren't they?"  
  
"I hope so," Toki sighed. "They'll be great protection if any bandits or  
rogue samurai try to attack."  
  
"But they're WOLVES!" Koroku exclaimed.  
  
"They're also gods," Toki pointed out. "And for once, there's a pretty good  
chance they'll be on our side."  
  
Koroku shook his head. "We've been at war for them for ages. Are we  
supposed to trust them, now?"  
  
Toki smirked fiercely. "Well, if we were just with the wolves, I'd say no.  
But we're going with Ashitaka. Now, San loves Ashitaka dearly- that's  
pretty obvious to anyone who watches the two of them together. San is also  
the leader of the wolves- there's a reason we called her the 'Princess'  
Mononoke. San would try everything she could to avoid hurting her 'mate' as  
she calls him, and I suspect she's intelligent enough to know that attacking  
his friends for no reason would hurt him."  
  
Koroku frowned. "In other words, we have to gamble on the feelings of the  
wolf-girl and her outsider?"  
  
"It's not a gamble," Toki said. "I knew he was taken that day he broke up  
her and Eboshi's fight. I saw him walking to the gate, a hole in his chest  
from the bullet Kiyo shot through him. He should have been in great pain,  
but he didn't show it. I was terrified- here was this nice boy I'd just  
met- the young man who had just saved two lives, one of them YOURS- about to  
die. He didn't seem to care about his own pain, though- he just wanted to  
get the girl away from here, so she wouldn't be killed."  
  
"Yeah, but he still needed to win the girl," Koroku noted.  
  
Toki laughed. "Koroku, dear, if you haven't realized by now that THAT boy  
can't win over any woman he wants, you're even less perceptive than I  
realized. Let's just say that most of the married men in this town are  
lucky that he's too committed to look for anyone else."  
  
Her husband looked at her in fear. "You wouldn't-"  
  
"Maybe if I was twenty years younger," Toki said, smirking. "I just might  
consider trading in a useless man like you for a very useful one like him.  
But, well, we've been married how long, now? Twelve years? I figure if I'  
ve stuck with you for that long, I might as well see this whole thing  
through." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry, dear-  
you're safe... as long as you get your bags packed in time for our trip. I  
understand we're heading to the place where Ashitaka came from- if we find  
more men like him, and you aren't there to watch over me, well..."  
  
"I'm packing! I'm packing!" Koroku said, suddenly hurrying through his  
travel preparations. Chuckling to herself, Toki followed at a more sedate  
pace. Sometimes, it WAS possible to coax that lazy husband of hers into  
doing what she wanted. It might pay to teach San the finer points of the  
technique while they were on this trip- the girl didn't need it at the  
current stage of her relationship, but she might some day.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Here's the bowl," was Kaya's greeting to her brother upon his return to his  
house. He noted, with some amusement, that a new clay sign announced that  
the building was 'Ashitaka's Den' as soon as someone entered the room.  
  
"Thanks," Ashitaka said. "I'd give it to San now, but I'm afraid she wouldn  
't know how important it was to keep it safe."  
  
Kaya nodded. "Makes sense."  
  
"I see you've made friends with Kiyo," he noted, pointing to the sign.  
  
"I'd have put it out front, but I didn't want to upset you like I had  
earlier today," Kaya said.  
  
Ashitaka nodded, smiling slightly. "I wouldn't mind it if you did. It's  
not as if the whole village doesn't know San calls it that."  
  
"How did you survive being shot?" Kaya asked suddenly. "Kiyo said you never  
told her."  
  
"Kiyo talked to you about that? She's barely been able to discuss the  
matter for me, and from what I've heard she hasn't said one word to anyone  
else in the village about it, either."  
  
"I doubt anyone other than you has wanted to talk to her about it," Kaya  
said thoughtfully. "She didn't seem to be trying to hide it. And I suspect  
she'd be uncomfortable talking to you."  
  
"Perhaps," Ashitaka agreed.  
  
"So, anyway, how DID you survive?"  
  
"San saved me," he said. "She begged the forest god of life and death to  
heal me. Even after that, I was very weak- she took me back to her clan's  
den and nursed me back to health. Helped me eat and drink when I was even  
too weak to chew."  
  
Kaya looked at him oddly. "Too weak to chew? Then how did you eat  
anything?"  
  
Much to her surprise, Ashitaka actually blushed. "Um..."  
  
Kaya shook her head. "Never mind. If it embarrasses YOU that much, I'm not  
sure I want to know. By the way, where is San, anyway?"  
  
"Sulking," he said. "I managed to get her to allow Eboshi on this trip, and  
didn't make her want to kill me in the process, but she's still not happy  
about the situation."  
  
"Sulking where? Aren't we about ready to go?" Kaya asked.  
  
"We aren't leaving until tomorrow. Eboshi and her entourage are busy  
preparing."  
  
"But where's San?"  
  
Ashitaka pointed upwards. "Sitting on the roof- if it comes out, she might  
even start howling at the moon- she did that once before. She may even be  
listening in to everything we're saying, by the way- her ears are good  
enough."  
  
Kaya sighed. "You know, there are so many things going on around here that  
I don't know the whole story for... especially regarding your 'mate' there.  
Why is she so... well, wolf-like? Why was this town at war with the forest?  
And how did you two meet- all I know is that you were shot after getting  
involved in a fight between her and Eboshi."  
  
"Well, I suppose we could catch up while we wait for San to calm down and  
come inside to sleep...."  
  
* * * * *  
  
San came down off the roof several hours later- the moon had never come out,  
but she hadn't felt much like howling anyway. She noticed the clay sign  
resting against a table as she entered the room, but had no idea what it  
said- while her mother Moro felt it important she know human speech, there  
was never any reason for her to know the written word. She didn't need to  
know now, either- Ashitaka could read it for her, later.  
  
Kaya and her mate were still talking as she approached. She had known they  
were talking about her, but didn't particularly care. Ashitaka's view of  
things was slightly biased, but she'd try talking to her new sister and  
explaining how things really happened sometime- probably on their trip, as  
it seemed with Eboshi coming along they would be travelling much slower than  
they initially thought.  
  
"Hello, mate," San said.  
  
Ashitaka smiled up at her. "Welcome home, mate."  
  
"Hello, San," Kaya greeted.  
  
"It is time to sleep, mate," San growled. It was a tone which left no room  
for argument, but it was still delivered pleasantly.  
  
Ashitaka stood up. "Very well- I'll get our bedding."  
  
Kaya realized how late it was and yawned. "Okay, I guess it's late enough.  
Where should I go?"  
  
"Go?" Ashitaka asked as he ducked into a small storage room.  
  
"Where should I sleep," she clarified.  
  
"Here, sister," San said.  
  
Kaya looked at her and flushed. "Um, won't that be a little awkward for the  
two of you?"  
  
"Why would it be awkward?" San asked. "We are of the same clan."  
  
"But won't you two want your privacy?"  
  
San shook her head. "I will never understand humans. Ashitaka, why would  
we need privacy to sleep?"  
  
Ashitaka laughed slightly. "I believe my sister thinks we intend to mate in  
front of her. Humans usually feel physical mating is something that should  
only be shared between the two mates, themselves." He returned, carrying  
enough supplies for all three of them to have something to sleep on. "Rest  
assured, Kaya, that San and I are only mates in heart, mind, and soul right  
now- until we can sort out some of the issues which remain between us, we  
will not move on to anything more. We will do nothing to embarrass you."  
  
"You two are having problems?" Kaya asked, concerned. "I thought-"  
  
"Not problems, exactly," Ashitaka interrupted. "But... well, we aren't  
quite sure how this will all work out, yet. San can't deal with living with  
humans, especially in this town- at least not for very long. And I wouldn't  
be able to deal with living in the forest forever, even if it were for her."  
  
"But she seems to be living here with you right now..."  
  
"I'm visiting," San said. "Maybe one day, I'll be able to stay here long  
enough to keep Ashitaka happy, but I cannot now. I've been able to stand  
this one week, but I would not enjoy living here for long."  
  
Kaya nodded. "I think I'm beginning to understand. You're planning to try  
and split your time between here and the forest, aren't you?"  
  
Ashitaka nodded. "Yes. And if that doesn't work, then I am unsure what we  
will do, but we will do something."  
  
Kaya grinned. "Well, I know you don't like Eboshi very much, San... so I  
suspect if you can deal with this journey, you'll be able to deal with  
living with humans from time to time."  
  
"I hate Eboshi," San growled. "But she is not going to be the most trying  
part of this trip. She has decided to take... TOKI with her. SHE is worse  
than a hundred Eboshi's!"  
  
Kaya glanced at Ashitaka for an explanation. Grinning, he said, "Toki is a  
bit... outspoken. It makes for some remarkable personality clashes between  
the two. Reminds me of some of our little fights when we were younger."  
  
Understanding dawned in Kaya's eyes. "Oh- sibling rivalry, huh?"  
  
"They aren't siblings," Ashitaka nodded, "but they act like it."  
  
"I never acted that way with my brothers!" San huffed.  
  
"Yes, but your brothers were wolves," Kaya explained.  
  
"And were male," Ashitaka added, a twinkle in his eye. "No-one can annoy  
you more than a know-it all little sister."  
  
"Why, you!" Kaya laughed furiously, taking a swat at her brother. "San, if  
Ashitaka is right- and I'm sure he is- then I think Toki is only teasing  
you."  
  
"Maybe, but she is STILL worse than a hundred Eboshi's."  
  
Ashitaka laughed, then tossed her a set of bedding. "Come on- it's getting  
late. We need to be well rested for our trip tomorrow."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The next morning, everyone intending to take the trip had assembled at the  
gate except for San and Ashitaka. Koroku was eyeing the two wolves  
nervously as he lead the four horses they were planning to take on their  
trip out of the walls of Tataraba. One horse was a pack horse, but the  
others were for Eboshi, Koroku, and Toki.  
  
Toki approach Kaya with a smile on her face. "Hello! You must be Ashitaka'  
s sister. I can see good looks run in his family. I'm Toki, and this is my  
frequently useless husband, Koroku."  
  
Koroku waved and smiled weakly. "Hi."  
  
"Hi. My brother's mentioned you two to me," Kaya returned. "He said you  
remind him of me, Toki."  
  
"Hmm... He's had to live with someone like Toki before? Suddenly I respect  
the boy quite a bit more," the rather henpecked Koroku muttered under his  
breath.  
  
Pretending to ignore her husband, Toki laughed. "Well, I'm rather pleased  
to hear that. I've been trying to make him feel at home, and if I'm able to  
remind him of you I'm sure I've done just that. So, dear, what was it like  
growing up with him, anyway?"  
  
As the two women chatted on, Koroku continued to load up the pack horse with  
the supplies necessary for a long journey. Ashitaka and Kaya had refused to  
say how long they were expecting the trip to take, though thay had mentioned  
it had been a two week-long trip from the last village they had managed to  
obtain supplies in to the forest of the Shishigami. Experience had taught  
him to always bring twice as many supplies as he expected to need, and this  
was no exception. Even if the wolves- well, wolf, since only one of them  
was coming and, unlike some people, he refused to consider San a wolf- could  
forage for themselves, the humans couldn't, and it would be a good idea to  
have some feed for the horses so they didn't have to rely on grass overmuch.  
  
Gonza was in one of his grumpier moods, having been roused from his slumber  
several hours before his usual time so that he could attend Eboshi before  
she left. Yawning, he spent the increasingly frustrating delay of his lady'  
s departure to think of various ways to torture that Ashitaka boy for waking  
him up this early.  
  
Eboshi was growing impatient herself. Approaching Kaya, she asked, "Where  
is that brother of yours? We were supposed to leave an hour ago."  
  
Kaya laughed slightly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
It was then San and Ashitaka made their entrance. San was wearing an outfit  
similar to Kaya's, though it was made entirely out of white fabric and  
looked rather more formal. She looked quite uncomfortable in the robes, and  
was looking rather unhappy, but nonetheless they were the most civilized  
clothes anyone had ever seen her wear.  
  
"What... is she... are you-" Eboshi stuttered, unable to believe her eyes.  
  
The two wolves were equally alarmed. "Sister, have you forgotten your  
heritage?" they demanded fiercely.  
  
Kaya, however, just burst out laughing. "San, don't look so disgusted. You  
only need to wear them when we're visiting the burial grounds- my people won  
't let you desterb them without them." She paused, looking her up and down.  
"For mourning robes, though, they look pretty good on you."  
  
"Mourning robes?" Windrider repeated. Koroku jumped- he was still shocked  
whenever one of the beasts of this forest spoke. "Ah, for when you're  
visiting the bones of your mates' parents. I suppose that is a good enough  
reason to set aside the clothing of your mother- temporarily."  
  
"I don't want to wear them, but if I want to see their bones, I must." She  
sniffed. "Stupid human traditions."  
  
"You have to confirm they're acceptable, Kaya," Ashitaka said. "Then, after  
San changes back to her regular clothes, we can leave."  
  
Kaya walked over and started inspecting the clothing. She noticed a  
distinctive pattern to the stitches. "You made this yourself, didn't you?"  
she asked her brother.  
  
"No-one else knows the proper style but you," he explained. "And we both  
know you're terrible at sewing."  
  
"Well, they'll pass," Kaya proclaimed. "They don't quite fit her right,  
though."  
  
"Best I could do," Ashitaka said. "And I really don't want to keep us here  
much longer making changes- you can get a tailor in the village to make  
alterations when we get to our village."  
  
"Are you through?" San asked, thoroughly disgusted.  
  
"Go and change," Ashitaka said to her, smiling sympathetically. Without  
even looking back, she darted away, running as fast as her two feet could  
carry her. "I'd better follow her, to make sure she takes those robes with  
her when we leave."  
  
As he walked off at a more sedate pace, Eboshi watched him and sighed. "For  
a moment there," she said under her breath, "I thought she was turning  
civilized."  
  
"Eh?" Gonza asked, not quite hearing her.  
  
Shaking her head, Eboshi smiled over at him. "Never mind. So, any last  
minute questions you have about handling the village while I'm gone?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
desaix@sysnet.net  
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee  
anime fanfics available at  
http://www.geocities.com/zednik.geo/fanfics.htm  
  



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